Tomorrow
by Pollygw
Summary: The week following the final episode of TWW for Jed and Abbey and a few others eventually with a few surprises in store for them.
1. Chapter 1

"What are you thinking about?"

Jed continued to gaze out of the plane window. "Tomorrow," he said quietly.

After a few seconds, Abbey shot him a mischievous look. "So – what's next?"

Jed still didn't look at her, but a slight smile curved the corners of his mouth. Tomorrow was not going to be anything like Abbey was expecting.

"Jed, the girls really wanted to be there at the farm tonight, you know," Abbey was saying. "It was their idea – the whole family together."

"Okay." Now he didn't dare look at her, in case the look in his eyes gave him away. She knew him too well.

"And you are not gonna be snippy with them," she warned him. "This is their surprise."

Jed held up his hands. "Abbey, I can honestly promise you that I am not gonna be snippy with ANYONE tonight."

"Not even Doug or Vic?"

"Not even Doug or Vic."

"Well, that'll be a first!"

Jed leaned back against his seat. "It IS a first – it's the first night of the rest of our lives."

Abbey studied him carefully. "You're hiding something, gumdrop. I can tell."

For the first time he allowed himself to look round at her and shot her a mock-injured glance. "Am I so transparent?"

"To me, yes."

"I'm glad you weren't one of the Chiefs of Staff then – or Speaker of the House! If Jeff Haffley had known even half of what I was thinking about him–"

"Stop changing the subject." Abbey glanced at her watch and then leaned forward to look out of the window. She frowned. "Jed, we should be about five minutes from landing but we haven't dropped any height and we're still over the sea. So just where is this plane taking us?"

"You'll find out," he replied casually.

"For heavens' sake, Jed, this is Air Force One! You can't just hijack it!"

"Technically, it isn't Air Force One – it's only called that when the President is aboard, so it's just SAM 28000 right now. And it isn't a hijack, I cleared it with Matt Santos – since he certainly won't be needing it for the next twenty four hours. He'll be far too busy in the Oval."

"But the girls are waiting–"

"No, they're not. I asked Charlie to call Zoey to let them know that we wouldn't be there tonight."

"You asked Charlie to call – why, you scheming, manipulative–"

Jed grinned. "He did seem quite pleased to have a chance to talk to her again!"

Abbey opened her mouth to say more but closed it again with a small sigh. Now was not the right time to start a discussion about Zoey and Charlie. Besides, there was a more pressing question. "So where ARE we going?"

"I told you – you'll find out!"

"Jed!" she said in exasperation.

Jed shook his head and stretched out his hand to take hers. "Nope, I want to surprise you." His blue eyes looked straight into hers as he said softly, "Abbey, for the last eight years – no, even longer than that – we've been surrounded by people almost every minute of every day. I'm not sure what life holds for us from now on – but I guess that even a _former_ President and First Lady won't be able to slip into a life of anonymity. And that's why I wanted some time out – just a few days maybe – for some of that anonymity, for some real peace and quiet. Just the two of us."

As Abbey held his gaze, her eyes suddenly felt moist. He looked tired, and the past eight years had aged him. Not just the stress of the job that had demanded so much of him, but the insidious effects of the MS too. There had been times when she had been so desperately afraid that it was all going to be too much, that she was going to lose him. But he had made it, he was still here. "Okay, just the two of us," she whispered with a catch in her voice.

Jed's hand tightened on hers. "You know that I couldn't have done any of this without you–" He stopped as there was a knock on the cabin door and then gave a short laugh. "Well, maybe not 'just the two of us' for a while!" he said ruefully. "Come in!" he called out.

It was the Captain. "Sorry to disturb you, sir – but I thought that Mrs Bartlet would probably have realised by now that we're not going to be landing in New Hampshire. Sorry about the subterfuge, Mrs Bartlet, but the President insisted that it was to be a secret."

"Former President!" Jed corrected him with a laugh. "What's our flying time, Mike?"

The Captain raised his eyebrows and Jed gave him an almost imperceptible nod. "Five hours 46, sir," he answered.

"Fine – and you've sorted out–?"

"Yes, sir, they know it's a private visit, no officials, no press, no publicity."

"Thanks."

"Mike, just where ARE we going?" Abbey asked. "Nearly six hours flying time – and I guess we're flying east – so that means Europe somewhere, am I right?"

After a quick glance at Jed, who shook his head slightly, the Captain looked back at Abbey. "I'm sorry, Mrs Bartlet, I'm not permitted to divulge that information."

Jed laughed. "What he means is that I said I would personally decapitate anyone who even breathed a hint of it."

Mike grinned. "Yes, that's true! So shall I send the steward in for your dinner order, sir?'

Jed glanced at Abbey. "You hungry?"

"Yes, I am actually – I didn't get chance to eat much at the Capitol at lunchtime, with all the farewells and everything else going on."

"Okay then – thanks, Mike."

"So," Abbey said, as the door closed behind the Captain, "Europe?"

Jed gave a slight inclination of his head in acknowledgement. "And that's all you are permitted to know."

"Hmm," mused Abbey, "London maybe? – a nostalgic trip to our apartment there?"

"Flat," Jed corrected her. "They call 'em flats in London, remember? – and I bet that flat was demolished years ago. If it wasn't, it ought to have been!"

"Okay, not London then," Abbey continued, "and anyway, there's no peace and quiet there!" She thought for a moment. "Maybe Paris then? So that you can be the man who accompanied Abigail Bartlet to Paris?"

Jed laughed. "JFK already screwed us with that one! And you can stop probing right now, because I'm saying nothing."

Abbey put her hand on his knee and slowly started sliding it higher. "Bet I could get you to tell me–"

With another laugh, Jed lifted her hand and held it tightly in his. "That's cheating!"

"You mean I can't persuade you to join the Mile High Club again?" Abbey teased.

Jed chuckled. "Only if we can have Ron Butterfield standing outside the door, showing his gun to anyone who gets within ten feet of the door! There is no way that I want a repeat of–"

He didn't have to go on. Abbey felt herself colouring at the memory, "Oh lord, yes – the time Leo and Josh walked in on us."

"I don't know who was more embarrassed – us or them."

"They certainly made a very quick exit!"

Jed thought back. "Did we actually manage to finish after that interruption?"

Abbey started laughing. "Only after you'd pushed a chair against the door!"

Jed laughed too. "Yeah, I remember now."

"CJ told me that Ron stopped her at the door one time."

"Really?"

"Well, he didn't actually produce the gun, but he refused to let her near the door. She told him she wanted to see you urgently about something, and Ron said very politely, "I'm sorry, Ms Cregg, but no-one is going in there right now." And she said that she went bright red and said "Oh – okay – yeah – right."

"So she knew?"

"Oh, come on, Jed, get real! The whole staff knew when we were – er – having some recreation!"

Jed threw her an expressive glance. "Maybe we'll get more privacy now."

Abbey moved her leg so that it was brushing against his. "The only people on this plane are the Secret Service and the crew," she said teasingly.

"Yeah, and if we start anything now, what's the betting that the steward will walk in that door?" But still he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her palm softly, so that she had to draw in a quick breath. At the same time there was a knock on the door, and Jed laughed. "See what I mean?"

He was still chuckling as the steward came in to take their dinner order and left Abbey to choose from the dinner menu.

After the steward had taken the order, Abbey looked round at him with a wry smile. "OK, so I guess the Mile High Club will have to wait until after dinner now. But just be grateful that at least we don't have to go to all those inaugural balls tonight before we can go to bed!"

Jed pulled a face. "How many was it? Nine, ten? It felt like a hundred! And how many different ball gowns did you have?"

Abbey's eyes suddenly widened in alarm. "Jed – clothes! I haven't any clothes!"

"Calm down, did you really think I'd forget that you need at least three different outfits per day? There are four big bags somewhere on this plane – correction, three big bags – your clothes, one small bag – my clothes!"

Abbey looked at him suspiciously. "You didn't pack them, did you? Oh lord, you did – that means nothing will match, and I'll probably have to find the nearest lingerie shop to buy up their entire stock of panties."

"I wasn't reckoning on you wearing any panties at all actually – hey!" he finished as she slapped his knee. "What was that for?"

"Stop having erotic thoughts – we've got a six hour flight ahead of us."

Jed looked at her under his eyelashes. "What about the Mile High Club?"

Abbey returned the seductive look as she stood up. "Well, maybe if you eat up all your vegetables at dinner, I might just rustle up a tasty dessert – but now I need to go freshen up."

"And then _please_ just check that they're not serving up any green beans at dinner!" Jed called after her with a laugh.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Once on his own, he leant back in his seat, head tilted backwards and eyes closed. A rueful smile ghosted across his face – even if Abbey did rustle up the 'tasty dessert', he was not sure he was going to be able to manage to respond. It had been an exhausting and emotional day, and there had been times when the emotion had come dangerously close to breaking through his outward calmness.

It had been hard saying goodbye to everyone in the West Wing, but saying goodbye to Charlie had been the hardest – he had felt the tears stinging his eyes and had had to turn away quickly once he'd given Charlie his old copy of the Constitution. But then maybe, just maybe, Charlie and Zoey would resolve their differences? And his son – for Charlie had indeed become like a son to him – might just become a son-in-law?

"And a damn sight better one than the other two," he growled to himself as his thoughts ran on. Doug Westin was a moron, and Vic Faison was a nerd. Still, at least Ellie was happy with Vic, which was more than could be said for Liz and Doug. Quickly Jed stopped the train of his thought, otherwise he knew the anger would rise again, the hot rage that had consumed him when he first known that Doug had been unfaithful.

"Jed, you okay?"

He hadn't heard Abbey coming back into the cabin and opened his eyes to look at her. He saw the anxious look on her face and eased himself upright again. "Yeah, I'm fine," he reassured her. "I was just thinking about today. Wonder if Matt Santos has had his Harry Truman moment yet?"

Abbey sat down beside him. "Harry Truman?"

"'The buck stops here.' The moment when it hits you right in the guts that this is for real, that the buck really does stop with you."

"Did that happen with you?"

"Too right it did."

"When? When you took the oath?"

"No, I was too wound up at that moment wondering whether I would get the words right – and whether I had all the pages of my speech in the right order! No, it was after that – when I walked into the Oval. There was no-one else there and I just stood by the door looking at that desk – and then at the seal on the carpet – and thought 'Jed Bartlet, what the hell are you doing here? What gives you the right to think you can run this country? That you can follow men like Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy–?' I don't think I've ever been so scared in my whole life, I felt physically sick–" Jed shook his head slowly at the memory of those few moments.

"Jed, you've never told me this before."

"That's because I'd actually forgotten about it until today. But I bet you a dollar to a dime that Matt Santos has felt like that at some point today. Maybe we all do. But then the whole business of government takes over, and your feet are back on familiar ground, and you don't even have time to think about it again."

"Is that what happened with you?"

"Yeah, the staff all piled into the office and suddenly there were a hundred and one things to do and think about – and so we all just got on with all the practicalities."

Jed's eyes clouded for a moment, remembering how – after all the younger staff members had departed to their new offices – just Leo had remained. "So here we are," Leo had said simply, and those four words somehow had summed up the enormity of what lay ahead of them. But now Leo was gone. Jed winced slightly, not wanting to explore the depths of his grief at the loss of his best friend. "They all seemed so young then," he said instead. "CJ, Sam, Josh–" then, after a moment's hesitation, "–and Toby." He glanced at Abbey. "I signed the pardon this morning."

Abbey's eyes widened. "For Toby?"

"Yeah."

"But he leaked classified information, he betrayed you and the administration. I thought you would never forgive him for that."

"Yeah, so did I. But then I got to thinking of everything else that he's done over the past eight years – okay, we didn't always agree – but integrity shone out of that man, and he must have believed he was doing the right thing. And–" he hesitated slightly, "well, I guess in the end I couldn't let him go to jail for following his own conscience. So I signed the pardon."

Abbey nodded slowly, then sighed. "I just wish he and Andy could sort themselves out. Those twins are so adorable. They should have both their parents together."

"Maybe they will now."

"I really hope so. At least Josh and Donna finally got their act together. You know, I wanted to bang their heads together so many times – it was so obvious to everyone else!"

Jed gave a shrug and a half-smile. "They had to find it out for themselves."

"CJ and Danny too."

"Oh, now that was always on the cards – but it couldn't happen while CJ was still in the White House. But they'll do okay in California."

"And have lots of babies that look just like Danny."

Jed laughed. "Without the beard, I hope!"

The arrival of the steward with the heated dinner cart ended the conversation, but Abbey watched Jed carefully as he joked with the steward about green beans, and then helped to transfer the food from the cart on to the table in the corner of the cabin. She wondered suddenly just how he was going to adapt to not having his beloved staff around him, not having a hundred and one things to do and think about. For over half his life he had been involved in public service – what was going to fill the vacuum for him now?

"Dinner is served, ma'am" Jed said, beckoning her to the table. "And make the most of it. After this, no more Air Force One meals – we're back to airline plastic trays!"

Abbey pulled a face. "Returning to mere mortal life has its downside. Talking of which, have you thought any more about that lecture tour – or about the Economics Chair at Dartmouth?"

Jed held up his hand. "No, we're not talking about any of that now. Time enough for that later. Tonight – and the next few days – are for the here and now, and for us."

"Okay, babe." They exchanged understanding glances as they started their meal of pumpkin and pea soup followed by chicken in wild mushroom sauce, accompanied by an excellent Chardonnay.

Jed glanced out of the now darkened windows on the far side of the plane. "We're half way into the night already," he commented.

Abbey followed his glance. "Brilliant timing, gumdrop – missing a night's sleep after the hectic day we've had? I'm gonna look like hell when we land – wherever it is we're going to be landing!"

"Plenty of time to catch up on your beauty sleep tomorrow."

"You mean you're not gonna drag me round on the Bartlet sightseeing-and-useless-trivia tour of - um - wherever it is that we're going to be?"

"Well, not immediately," Jed conceded. "You want some dessert now?" As Abbey raised her eyebrows, he grinned and nodded his head towards the raspberry panacotta. "No, I mean _that _dessert!"

Abbey laughed. "Looks delicious but I don't think I can manage it."

"Okay, so let me ring for the steward to take this lot away then."

As the steward was piling the cart with the remains of the dinner, Jed retrieved a small plastic CD case from his briefcase and wandered across to the console in the corner of the cabin. "I've never used this thing before," he said, eyeing it somewhat nervously and then slipping the CD into the machine.

After the steward had closed the door, he looked across at Abbey. "Take your shoes off."

"Why?"

Jed pressed the play button and held out his arms. "I want you to dance with me."

Abbey listened as the music began and then smiled. "Ah, Mr Sinatra, I presume?"

"Who else?"

She kicked her shoes to one side and stood up, moving naturally into Jed's arms as the song began.

"You make me egg-foo-yung," Jed started to sing with the song.

"Idiot!" Abbey said with a smile.

"Yeah, I know." He pulled her closer to him so that his face brushed against her hair. Then he sang softly along with Sinatra – '_And even when I'm old and grey, I'm gonna feel the way I do today_…' He looked down at her. "So okay, I'm old and grey already," he said with a rueful smile and then his eyes rested on her. "But I love you, Abbey – so much. I really meant what I said before, I couldn't have done any of it without you."

Abbey looked up at him and shook her head slightly. "_You_ did it, Jed – you did so much good – because – well, because you're just you." The music changed and Abbey listened to the words of '_Time after Time_' for a moment. Then she smiled. "I guess that sums it up – '_I'm so lucky to be loving you_'."

Jed's arms tightened round her, his left hand gripping hers and his right arm round her waist pressing her body against his. They moved together on the spot as the music went on. "Now listen to the next one," Jed said very quietly.

Abbey waited for the song to begin. She didn't recognise the introduction, but then Sinatra's voice started –

'_Today I may not have a thing at all  
Except for just a dream or two  
But I've got lots of plans for tomorrow  
And all my tomorrows belong to you_.'

Jed's arm tightened round her. "Listen, Abbey," he said again.

Abbey laid her head against his shoulder and knew that the tears which had suddenly flooded her eyes would be making a wet patch on his shirt but she couldn't hold them back.

_'As long as I've got arms that cling at all,  
It's you that I'll be clinging to  
And all the dreams I dream, beg, or borrow  
On some bright tomorrow they'll all come true  
And all my bright tomorrows belong to you.'_

As the song ended, Jed eased his grip and put his hand under her chin to tilt her face up to his. She saw then that his eyes were brimming too. Gently his finger brushed away the tear that was trickling down her face.

His blue eyes gazed down at her intensely. "I mean it, Abbey – I couldn't have done anything without you – but now I promise you, my tomorrows belong to you."

His mouth came down on hers – gentle at first, and then suddenly fiercer until they both felt the familiar passion flare.

With a quick shake of his head, Jed released her. "No," he said. "Not yet–" He glanced down at his watch. "Seven o'clock – that means it's midnight in Europe, it's already tomorrow where we're going – and then there'll be just the two of us."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Abbey opened her eyes when there was a slight drop in the plane's altitude. Confused for a moment, she looked around and then saw that she was still in the lounge area of the plane. But her seat had been tilted back and a navy blue blanket was draped around her. Jed was sitting across from her, gazing out of the window, his chin resting on his hand.

"I fell asleep?" she asked vaguely.

He looked round at her and smiled. "Yes, you did."

Then she remembered. She had suggested that they went to the bedroom but Jed had said no. "We'll go to bed when we get there," he'd said. "When there's just the two of us."

"Jed, there're always going to be agents somewhere near us."

He'd nodded, "Yeah, but where we're going, they're not gonna be standing right outside the bedroom door."

Now she looked across at him. "Did you get any sleep?" she asked.

"No," he admitted, "I had a shower and a shave instead. My brain wouldn't switch off. But it will – later."

"You bet it will, lover boy." Abbey's green eyes glinted and Jed laughed.

"You aiming to seduce me then?"

"Whatever it takes! I mean of course to switch off your brain, you understand?"

"Of course."

Their eyes held for a few moments, amusement flashing between them with the perfect understanding that came from forty years of loving each other.

Abbey pushed aside the blanket and tried to smooth her creased skirt. "I look shot to hell. Do I need to change before we land?"

Jed shook his head. "Nope. No-one's gonna see you except the driver."

"Driver?"

"Yeah – I guessed you wouldn't be too happy about me driving just yet, so we have a driver for tonight."

"And just how far are we being driven?"

"Sorry, babe, it's gonna be about an hour from the airport."

"Okay." She stood up and headed towards the bathroom. "I do need to freshen up and put a brush through my hair before we land though."

As she came back into the cabin, the captain's voice came over the speakers. "Preparing for landing, please fasten your seat belts."

Abbey returned her seat to its upright position, and clicked her seat belt in position as Jed did the same. She turned to look out of the window.

"It's kinda dark out there. No city then?"

"No city," Jed confirmed.

Abbey's brow creased into a frown. "You know, I still can't work this one out."

"You will soon."

The plane touched down smoothly and they both gripped the arms of their seats as the reverse thrust slowed it down to taxi-ing speed.

"Damn," Abbey complained, "these windows are on the wrong side to see the airport building."

Jed laughed. "You can't blame me for that – if the wind had been in the opposite direction, we'd have landed from the other end of the runway. It's because–"

"No, no, NO!" Abbey put her hands to her ears. "I truly cannot cope with any nerd talk about air pressure on top of wings or under wings – or whatever other aeronautical techno-speak you want to confuse me with."

"Plane's turning now, Abbey."

Abbey watched through the window as the plane turned off the runway and eventually the airport building came into sight.

"Oh – my – God," she breathed, when finally the word 'Shannon' showed up in large letters on the roof of the building.

Jed had been watching her, and she turned back from the window to meet his eyes. "Ireland," she said softly, then shook her head slightly. "How in heaven's name did I not guess it would be Ireland?"

For a moment, Jed's eyes looked anxious. "So – is it the right place?"

Abbey nodded and smiled. "Yes – of course it is. Where else?"

Jed nodded too. "Yeah," he said.

Air Force One had its own retractable stairway which operated as soon as the plane came to a standstill. As Jed and Abbey approached the open door, Mike was already standing there.

Jed held out his hand. "Thanks, Mike."

"It's been a pleasure, Mr President. Mrs Bartlet."

Abbey shook his hand too and smiled. "Thank you, Mike – though I'm not sure I'm gonna forgive you for collaborating with my husband in this conspiracy!"

"I think I can live with that, ma'am! Have a good vacation, both of you," the Captain said with a smile. "You deserve it."

It felt strange somehow, walking down the steps without seeing the blue and red lights of the police escort and without the accompaniment of flashes from press cameras or a crowd of people waiting to greet them. Just two unmarked black cars were drawn up at the foot of the steps and immediately Air Force One's baggage handlers were loading bags into the trunks of both cars.

"Well, at least our baggage has arrived," Jed commented lightly as he held out his hand to Abbey at the foot of the steps. "Thanks, Charlie," he said as the agent opened the door for them.

Charlie Tynan, the head of their new Secret Service detail, slipped into the front seat next to the driver, the other three agents made their way to the second car, and within minutes both cars were on their way around the airport building and on to the darkened road.

Jed's hand found Abbey's. "Okay, sweetheart?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"I'm sorry it's such a long drive – but it'll be worth it, I promise you."

Releasing her hand, he slipped his arm around her and Abbey leant against him. "I love you, Jed Bartlet."

"Love you too."

Jed squeezed her shoulder, and then tilted his head so it was resting against hers. He drew in a deep breath. "Just the two of us – soon, real soon…"

His voice trailed off, and as his breathing gradually evened, Abbey realised that he had dozed off. She smiled to herself and nestled against his shoulder until the movement of the car lulled her into drowsiness too.

"Mr President, we're here, sir."

Jed forced his eyes open as the driver opened the car door.

"Okay," he said automatically. He shook Abbey slightly. "Abbey–"

"Mmm, what?"

"C'mon, we're here."

The sky was still dark as they stepped out of the car. But the headlights from both cars lit up a long low cottage in front of them, with white-washed stone and a thatched roof. Its door was offset to the right, and there were three windows – two on one side of the door, one on the other.

"Our very own White House," Jed said with a smile. "It's called West Cottage – I thought that was rather appropriate!" Then he turned to the Secret Service agents who had done a fast sweep of the cottage. "OK, guys, your place is just over there," he pointed to another similar cottage just a short distance away. "That's East Cottage – so enjoy your sleep – and rest assured, we are not going to be stirring until midday Irish time at the very earliest!"

The agent handed Jed the key for the cottage, and he caught hold of Abbey's hand as they went inside, finding themselves in a large but cosy sitting room, with unevenly plastered walls and dark oak beams. At one end was an ancient stone hearth with an iron burner that exuded a rich peat-scented warmth. There were two well-stuffed dark red couches, a couple of low occasional tables, an antique oak table in one corner and four chairs with iron-wrought backs, and an oak dresser in the other corner.

The driver carried their bags into the room. "Excuse me, sir, where do you want these."

"Just leave them there, thanks. You'll bring the other car later?"

"To be sure, sir – I'll just put the keys through the door."

"Okay, thank you."

As the driver closed the door, Jed looked round at Abbey. "Do you want a hot drink – or shall we go to bed?"

"I thought you'd never ask!"

Jed led the way through one of the doors off the sitting room, into the bedroom with a king-sized bed that had a patchwork covered duvet and a mass of white pillows.

Abbey frowned slightly. "Jed, how come you know this place? How did you know where the bedroom was?"

Jed shot her a quick glance. "I found it on the internet."

"What?" Abbey knew all too well that, for all his knowledge and intelligence, Jed had no real expertise with computers or the internet. He left all that to his staff.

"Okay," he said with a grin. "Debbie found it actually – but only after I had given her all the details of what I wanted. Then she showed me photos of it on the computer – and a plan of the layout too. It seemed ideal – so I booked it."

"YOU booked it?"

"Well, when I say I booked it–"

"Debbie booked it, right?"

"Yeah," Jed admitted. "And the cars – and the drivers too." He turned to her. "But d'you like it?"

"I love it."

"Good. Let's go to bed."

"Just a minute! Do I have any nightwear in any of those bags?"

"Probably not – so let's go to bed!"

"Great! Well, at least I have a toothbrush in my flight bag. Where's the bathroom?"

"That door," Jed said, pointing.

"Okay."

As Abbey emerged from the bathroom after a quick shower, she stopped and then smiled. Jed had managed to undress – his clothes were in an untidy heap on the floor by the side of the bed – but then it looked as though he had simply dropped down on to the bed and fallen asleep immediately. His eyes were closed and she could see the gentle rising and falling of his chest.

Carefully she pulled the duvet up around him and, almost childlike, he snuggled deeper into the pillows. As she climbed into the bed beside him, he stirred and turned towards her.

"Could jump you–" he murmured drowsily.

Abbey smiled. "Sleep, honey," she whispered, pushing back the strands of hair that had fallen over his forehead and then stroking the side of his face softly. "We've got all the time in the world now."

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Rating for this chapter is NC-17

When Jed woke, pale sunlight was sending shafts of light through the gap in the curtains. Momentarily disorientated, he picked up his watch and squinted at it. Six thirty – dammit, why had no-one woken him? And why couldn't he remember a single one of the meetings scheduled for – Then his eyes slowly took in the room around him and he relaxed back against the pillow. Okay, they were in Ireland, he should have changed his watch – so it was what? – six plus five was – his sleep-befuddled mind struggled with the calculation – right, must be eleven thirty.

Easing his shoulders up from the bed, he looked down at Abbey. Asleep, she looked angelic, her face at peace, her tousled dark hair framing her face and spread out on the pillow. The duvet had slipped to one side, revealing her silky smooth shoulders and the soft mounds of her breasts.

Even after nearly forty years of marriage, the sight of his wife's naked body could still arouse him and as he watched her, desire coursed through him. Gently he reached out to stroke one of her breasts. Abbey stirred from her sleep. "Mmm, nice," she murmured.

Jed smiled. "Hey, I thought you said _you_ were gonna be seducing _me_!" he said softly

Abbey's eyes flickered open. "I did, didn't I?" she said, her voice still slurred with sleep. After a few moments, her eyes opened wide. "Jed, did we really fall asleep?"

"Fraid so, honey. We must be getting old."

The comical look she shot him stirred everything inside him. He bent forward to kiss her lips very softly, the tip of his tongue teasing her mouth. At the same time he cupped her breast in his hand and kneaded the nipple. Sensing her instant response and hearing the quick gasp of pleasure that escaped from her only served to heighten his own arousal.

Abbey felt him harden against her and smiled. "I was supposed to be switching your brain off – remember?"

"I remember."

"So how's your brain?"

"Switched off. Which is more than I can say for – oh God!" he groaned as Abbey's hand slid downwards from his chest to his stomach and then reached his already hard shaft.

"Just the two of us now, huh?" she said huskily.

"Just the two of–" Jed groaned again as Abbey's fingers stroked him.

"Just hack it, Mister _former _President, "Abbey said with a seductive smile and then gasped as Jed brought his mouth down on hers and invaded her with his tongue.

But her hand was still stroking him, and he backed off for a moment. "Hey, ease off, sweetheart," he murmured, "I wanna make this last – but if you carry on like that–"

Abbey's hand stilled, and after drawing in his breath, Jed started kissing her gently again – her mouth, then her cheek, her jawbone, her earlobe and then the place where her neck met her shoulder that he knew was guaranteed to drive her crazy. He loved it when she sighed happily and squirmed helplessly like this – and as he moved lower to kiss her breast, he knew he was in danger of losing it too.

Forcing himself to keep control, his hand moved down her, slowly trailing lazy circles with the tips of his fingers round her stomach and then her hips and thighs, loving the small moans of pleasure that she was giving. And then his fingers reached the very heart of her.

"Jed!" she gasped as her hips involuntarily rose.

He had to fight the desperate urge to enter her there and then, wanting instead to take her right to the edge first. So he continued to stroke her and felt her whole body quivering. Her breathing quickened and she tossed her head from side to side, gasping, "Oh yes – yes – yes–"

"You ready?" he whispered when he knew that she was almost there.

"God, yes – just get in there, Jed – I need you so much."

He lifted himself above her and as he went into her, he drew in a deep breath and then said desperately, "Abbey, I can't – I can't hold this back!"

"Let go, babe, just let go–"

And then both of them were lost in their need for each other, moving fiercely and urgently together, until Jed's final hoarse gasp of "Abbey!" sent her over the edge too.

"Oh wow," Abbey breathed when eventually she came back to earth again. "Maybe we aren't so old after all."

Jed was slumped across her, his breath still coming in ragged gasps after the climax that had drained and exhilarated him at the same time. He groaned slightly. "Speak for yourself," he muttered.

Abbey's hand stroked his damp hair, as she smiled contentedly in the afterglow of their lovemaking, in the memory of the glorious moment when his hard thrusts had sent her right over into the beautiful throbbing release. "I love you so much, Jed."

After a few moments, Jed lifted his head and his blue eyes, still soft and lazy with satisfaction, gazed into hers. "And I love you too – so very, very much," he said and then dropped his head against her shoulder again.

For a while, they simply lay there, just content to be together. Eventually Jed lifted himself off her and then lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling. "You know, I can hardly believe this is real," he said. He turned his head to look at her. "When I woke up, all I could think at first was – what meetings do I have today?"

Abbey raised herself on to her elbow to look down at him. "And when you realised you didn't have any, what then?"

"I don't know," Jed admitted. "Oh, relieved, certainly – glad in one way that someone else is now having to deal with all the problems and crises, read all those endless documents – but at the same time – I don't know – I felt – empty somehow."

"Jed, you know you're gonna find something, don't you?"

Jed glanced round at her. "Yeah, I guess so. It's just the not knowing that's getting to me." Then he eased himself up. "Sorry, honey, this is for when we get home, not for now."

Abbey's eyes rested on him compassionately. She knew that it was going to take time for him to readjust, but she was equally sure that he would find just the right niche – something into which he could pour all his energies, just as he had done as President, and as Governor and Congressman before that. And then she would have to make the decision about her own future too.

"Okay, so let's concentrate on the now," she said briskly. "Time for breakfast!"

As she threw back the tangled duvet and slid her legs off the bed, Jed caught her hand. "And are we intending to have breakfast in the nude then?"

Abbey glanced across at the chair where she had flung her clothes the previous night – or was it the morning? "Uh-oh, we haven't unpacked, have we?"

"Nope." Jed lifted his legs off the other side of the bed and looked ruefully at the pile of his crumpled clothing on the floor. "And I certainly can't wear any of that lot again!"

"So okay, let's find some clothes!"

As she stood up, Jed eyed her appreciatively. "You know, I could really go with this being a nudist vacation."

"In January? – Idiot!" Abbey flung a pillow at him which he caught expertly and flung back at her.

An hour later, they were showered and dressed, both of them in jeans and Jed in a blue polo-shirt and navy blue sweatshirt while Abbey had found a tan-coloured turtleneck sweater. She was relieved to see that there were sensible casual clothes in her bags and Jed admitted that he had been teasing her when he'd let her think that he had packed them himself.

"But I did add a few things from your 'special garments' drawer to the pile of stuff that your staff were getting ready to pack," he added with a grin as he followed her into the sitting room.

"Now why am I not surprised about that?" Abbey said dryly. She flung open the curtains and then gasped. "Oh!"

"What?"

"Take a look at this!"

The large window at the back of the sitting room overlooked the sea, or rather a bay, as there was a long strip of undulating low hills in the distance, with some rugged grey peaks beyond them. The cottage stood on higher ground, which dropped gradually away to a part-sand, part-stony beach where the waves lapped the shore. Although it was a grey day, with only a pale January sun filtering through the clouds, it had a soft beauty that made Abbey catch her breath.

Jed came to stand beside her and put his arm round her shoulders. "It's Galway Bay," he said. Then softly, in his light baritone voice, he sang:

_"If you ever go across the sea to Ireland,  
Then maybe at the closing of your day  
You will sit and watch the moon rise over Claddagh,  
And see the sun go down on Galway Bay."_

Then he grinned at her. "My mom used to sing that to me when I was small."

"You look like your Mom – you've got a real Irish face, like she had."

"And you've got Irish eyes."

"Three generations removed – it was my great-grandmother who was Irish."

Jed took a step back, held out his arms and started singing again: "_When Irish eyes are smi - ling – sure, they ste-eal your heart – away._" Then he planted a kiss on her cheek. "Aye, and you surely know somet'in' about heart stealin', me darlin' girl," he said, slipping into an Irish accent.

Abbey laughed. "Okay, Danny Boy, so now let's find some breakfast."

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

"Fridge is full, sweetheart, I organised it."

"You mean Debbie organised it, I presume?" Abbey said as she made her way into the kitchen, which, like the bathroom, was in an extension that had been built on to the back of the cottage. It was compact but beautifully hand-crafted with light oak cupboards and was fully equipped.

"Well, okay," Jed admitted, "–but I told her what we wanted. Oh, and Mrs – er – something-or-other from the village will come in every other day to house-keep for us, and do laundry and stuff."

Between them they cooked a breakfast of toast and scrambled eggs with Dubliner cheese.

"So what's the plan for today?" Abbey asked, sipping her second cup of coffee.

"No plan, no schedule – and do you realise that it's past midday and I haven't even _seen_ a newspaper yet?"

"You getting withdrawal symptoms?"

"Yeah, can't wait to read an Irish paper and find out whether Mrs Bridget O'Connor won first prize for her potato jelly, and how long it took Paddy O'Malley to pull a tractor all round Galway Bay!"

"So how far are we away from civilisation?"

"Village is about quarter of a mile down the road."

"Your mother's village?"

"No, that's about twenty miles from here."

"Okay, so how about I unpack our stuff – and you wander along to the village to buy yourself a newspaper?"

"You sure?"

"Yeah – and put a coat on. It's January, remember?"

"Abbey, this is Ireland, not New Hampshire!"

"Coat, Jed," Abbey said firmly.

"Okay, okay!"

Jed retrieved his long black coat from the bedroom, carefully avoiding the overhead light as he flipped it expertly over his shoulders. It looked slightly incongruous with his jeans and brown boots but until Abbey unpacked the rest of their stuff and found his fleece jacket, it was all he had.

He stopped as he reached the door. "Hold on, I need some money, don't I?"

"Welcome back to the real world, babe!"

Jed found his wallet in his briefcase and slipped it into his pocket. "Wonder if I can give the agents the slip?" he grinned as he went out of the door. But he had only gone a few yards when Charlie Tynan, was there, a tall well-built man in his late thirties, with a shock of dark hair.

"Good afternoon, sir."

"Hey, Charlie!" The greeting had such a familiar ring to it that Jed winced slightly.

"You going far, sir?"

"Only to the village. Relax, no-one knows we're here."

"Yes, sir."

"Walk with me, Charlie." As they set off along the lane, Jed looked round at the agent. "Charlie, is there any chance you and the others could keep a low profile during this trip?"

"Sir, we have a duty to protect you and Mrs Bartlet."

"Under Public Law 89-186 I had the right to decline that protection, I didn't because – well, that doesn't matter right now, but this is a private visit, we're here under assumed names, everyone thinks that we're in New Hampshire, and no-one has the first idea that we are here in Ireland–"

"Until someone recognises you, sir."

"Think about it, Charlie – I'm about to go into a tiny store in a very small village in the middle of nowhere in the west of Ireland. Am I really going to be recognised?"

"Sir, your face is known world-wide."

"Where do you come from, Charlie?"

"Alexandria, Virginia, sir."

"Nice place," Jed commented, "but maybe a little too near DC for me to make my point. So let's imagine that you lived in some small township in – say, Ohio – and that one day you were in your local store and the former President of the United States walked in. What would you think?"

Charlie laughed. "I'd wonder what the hell he was doing in my local store!"

"Yeah, right – and then?"

Charlie considered for a moment. "I guess I'd probably think I was mistaken, that it couldn't possibly be him, that it was just some guy who looked like him."

Jed nodded. "Exactly – so now transfer that scenario from the mid-West township, where the man's face had been on your TV screen almost every day for the past eight years, to a small village in Ireland where he might occasionally have appeared on TV or in the press. And what do you get?"

"Just some guy who looked like him?"

"You got it. And now let me make another point. If you then walked out of that store in Ohio and saw two men standing outside the store – probably wearing dark glasses and with earpieces – and obviously waiting for the guy you had just seen, what would you think then?"

Charlie nodded. "Yeah, if he had bodyguards, then maybe it really was him after all."

"Good man – my point exactly." Jed slowed down as they neared the village store. "Now I know full well that all your instincts are saying that you gotta go into that store and make sure that there isn't a Qumari assassin waiting in there on the off-chance that I might stop by – but I guess what I'm saying is this – can we cut a deal, Charlie?"

"Sir?"

"Can you back off for the next few days? Can I temporarily decline the 24/7 protection? Because Abbey and I want to visit a few places – and when we're in one of the villages around here, or even in Galway City, the last thing we want is for passers-by to realise that this American couple – who look vaguely familiar – just happen to have a couple of bodyguards trailing them. Because then they're just gonna put two and two together and–" Jed held up his hands "–well, that's the end of our anonymity, isn't it?"

Charlie hesitated. "Sir, I understand what you're saying but–"

"Hold on, you haven't heard the rest of the deal yet. What I'm saying is – yeah, okay, I know you need to maintain your presence around the cottage, that's fine – and I know you need to follow us to wherever we might decide to go – but can you at least stay in your car and not tail us everywhere? Here's the deal – would you do that if I promise you that we will always – _always_ – have our panic buttons with us?" Jed stopped and then grinned. "You could go sit in the local pub – or go fishing – or whatever it is that you guys do when you're off duty. So can we make a deal, Charlie?"

Charlie nodded slowly and then held out his hand. "Yeah, okay, we have a deal, sir."

"Thanks, Charlie." Jed shook his hand and smiled. "Now would you just get back up that lane and let me walk back reading my newspaper in peace?"

"You got your panic button with you, sir?"

"I have it right here," Jed grinned and patted the pocket of his overcoat.

"Okay, sir."

Jed stood and watched for a moment as Charlie turned and retraced his steps along the village street towards the lane that led to the cottage. Then he went into the store.

The village store had just one copy left of the 'Irish Times' and Jed struggled with the new currency, studying the notes carefully until he found what he thought was the right one.

"Keep the change," he said casually as he handed over a ten Euro note

The girl behind the counter looked at him in confusion. "But ye've given me far too much."

"I have? – I'm sorry, I don't have any coins."

"Here's y'r change then."

"Thanks."

Jed stepped out of the shop, clutching the newspaper and a handful of coins. 'Call yourself an economist?' he muttered to himself.

As he walked back along the lane towards the cottage, he fished in his pocket for his glasses then flipped through the pages of the newspaper. After articles on the Fianna Fail, the forthcoming local elections, a bank robbery in Dublin and the mixed fortunes of the Irish football team, he finally found a photograph and brief article about the inauguration of Matthew Vincente Santos as the new President of the United States. 'Former President Josiah Bartlet,' he read, 'has retired to his family home in New Hampshire.'

And that was it. For a few moments he yearned for the Washington Post and the New York Times, and then checked himself. It really didn't matter any more, did it? That part of his life was over. He could write his memoirs, get involved in the plans for his Presidential Library. But retired? No, he really wasn't ready to retire yet – there were still so many things that were wrong in the world.

A wry smile crossed his face as his mind went back in time, to something he had said to Abbey so many years before when they were both still students. "There are so many things wrong in the world, Abbey – I want to do something to change it, to make it better – for us, for our children, for our children's children, for all the future generations."

"Jed, you can't change the whole world," Abbey had said.

And he remembered his reply. "Abbey, I have to do whatever I can, I just can't NOT do it."

So – he thought to himself – what's next? But now there was no White House staff to remind him…

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Abbey was talking on her cell phone outside the cottage when Jed got back, and while he waited for her he had a quick look at the silver grey car that had been delivered while he was in the village.

"The girls?" he asked when she clicked the phone and closed it.

"I thought I ought to call them to tell them where we were. But they already knew."

Jed followed her into the cottage. "Yeah, I told Charlie to tell them. Are they mad at me for missing their party last night?"

"Nope, they're okay about it. I think they actually like the idea of us having a second honeymoon. Liz sounded almost envious, Ellie was amused and Zoey thinks her Dad is just an old softie!"

"Yeah, well, I am, aren't I? Maybe not so much of the old, though."

"Anything in the newspaper?"

He handed it to her. "Page 5, top third."

Abbey scanned the short article about the Santos inauguration and then looked across at him. "Poor babe, you only got one sentence at the very end."

Jed looked rueful. "I don't mind the one sentence, it's the word 'retired' that I'm not crazy about. Anyway, what do you want to do today?"

"Not a lot, I'm still jet-lagged."

"Want to take a stroll along the beach then?"

"Okay – let me just go get my jacket."

"Did you find my fleece?"

"Yes, it's on the hook on the back of the bedroom door."

A few minutes later, they were walking down the narrow path between the limestone outcrops that led down to the pebble and sand beach which was strewn with dark seaweed. Once on the beach, Jed's hand automatically went out to clasp Abbey's and they walked along in companionable silence, broken only by the soothing sound of the small waves breaking in soft white surf on the shore, and the occasional shrill cry of a seagull.

After they'd stopped to watch a couple of terns plunge-diving for fish, and some oyster catchers at the water's edge, Jed picked up a flat pebble which he skimmed across the surface of the water.

"Four bounces – not bad, Bartlet!" Abbey bent to pick up another stone, and whooped with delight when it bounced five times. "Five! I win!"

"That last one was only half a bounce, it doesn't count!"

"There's no such thing as half a bounce, jackass!" Abbey called out as she went searching for another flat stone, and then flung it across the water.

"Hah!" Jed called back, when her stone sank after three jumps. He skimmed another one, said 'Dammit' when it bounced only once, then tried again. "This is a good one – watch," he called to her. "One – two – come on! – three – four – aw, screw it! That wave knocked it out."

He turned to see Abbey standing watching him, a knowing grin on her face. "What?" he asked, then again, "What?"

"You just can't bear to lose, can you?"

Jed tilted his head to one side. "Don't you mean that I always think I'm gonna win?" he asked. "And ain't that the reason I got to be President?"

He turned back towards the sea and skimmed the stone he was holding in his hand. When it reached its sixth bounce, he raised both hands triumphantly. "Yessss!"

Abbey came towards him and slipped her arm round his waist. "And now you're the Galway Bay Stone Skimming Champion."

He laughed then turned to her. "You know, this is what I always dreamt of being able to do – those other times we've been in Ireland. Just to be able to walk along a beach with you like this."

Abbey nodded. "Instead of having every minute of every day scheduled for meetings or speeches or receptions." She leant against him and smiled. "Remember that time we tried to sneak out? Where were we?"

"Yeah, somewhere near Dublin, I think – Killiney, wasn't it?"

"Can't remember. All I remember is that we had so many agents and Irish police following us that you said you felt as if you were leading the St Patrick's Day Parade down Fifth Avenue."

Jed laughed. "Yeah, either that – or the Pied Piper of Hamelin!"

Abbey glanced round. "Where ARE the agents, Jed?"

Jed looked round too. "They'll be back there somewhere, with binoculars fixed on us, I guess. But I did ask Charlie if they would give us some space."

"And he agreed?"

"We made a deal. I promised him we'd always have our panic buttons with us."

Abbey's eyes widened. "I haven't brought mine with me."

Jed grinned and then bent slightly to give her a quick kiss. "So if the tracker is telling them that you're still in the cottage, they're gonna be wondering who I just kissed!" He looked down at her. "Aw, what the hell? Let's give them their money's worth!"

He pulled her closer and brought his mouth down more firmly on hers. Abbey brought her hands up to the sides of his face, stopping him from breaking away and then parting her lips for him.

"Mmm," Jed murmured as her tongue teased his lips and then his tongue found hers and the kiss became sensuous and arousing, lasting for several minutes as they both delighted in its gentle eroticism.

Eventually Jed pulled back. "Sweetheart, much as I would love right now to strip you naked and make mad passionate love to you on the shores of Galway Bay, a – the agents ARE within viewing distance, b – we'd probably both end up with hypothermia and c – any erection I might have at this moment would be killed stone dead – because, even though this is not New Hampshire, it's still too damn cold to be doing this out here!"

Abbey, still with her hands up to his face, started laughing. "Your ears are cold," she said.

"Yeah, and that's why I don't want any other part of my anatomy exposed!"

She looked over his shoulder. "Jed – look – the sun is turning those clouds to gold – is this going to be a Galway Bay sunset?"

He glanced round, then led her over to one of the larger rocks at the edge of the beach and they sat down. With arms wrapped around each other, they watched as the half-broken bank of dark cloud turned from gold to orange. Occasionally the clouds parted enough for them to see the deep red orb fleetingly, and at the very last they were rewarded with the final segment of the sun slipping below the horizon, turning the edges of the dark clouds into a riot of orange and gold which was reflected in the waters of the bay.

Jed sang softly:

_"__You will sit and watch the moon rise over Claddagh,  
And watch the sun go down on Galway Bay."_

"What's Claddagh?" Abbey asked, as they started to walk back to the cottage, still with their arms around each other.

"It's a small fishing port – used to be a separate village, but it's now part of Galway City. We'll go and see it when we visit the city."

It was almost dark when they arrived back at the cottage. They stacked up the stove with more peat, and then made themselves a simple supper of vegetable lasagne with a green salad.

After they'd finished their meal, they moved over to the sitting area. "Hey, there's a chess set here," Jed said after looking in the drawers of the dresser.

Abbey, sitting on the couch with a glass of white wine, held up her hand. "No way. I refuse – totally refuse – to take you on at chess!"

Jed grinned. "You know I'll win?"

"It's not the winning that bothers me – it's the 'ah, that's the Kandinsky tactic' every time I move a piece."

"Don't you mean the Konstantinopolsky opening?"

Abbey raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "You're making that up!"

"No, I'm not," Jed protested, then went on, "Admittedly it's a rarely played opening, but Alexander Konstantinopolsky introduced it in 1956. It starts with–"

"Oh, for heavens' sake!" Abbey groaned. "Isn't there a Chutes and Ladders game in there instead? Though it wouldn't surprise me if that had a Konstant-whatsit opening to it too!"

"There's a cribbage board and a deck of cards."

"Yeah – yeah, okay then," Abbey said. "I seem to remember I beat you last time we played that!"

"Pure luck," Jed said airily. "It was only because you happened to turn over His Heels as the start card!"

"And only because I was about twenty points ahead of you anyway!" Abbey laughed.

Their banter and laughter continued as they started playing. They managed to win a game each and were nearing the end of the final and deciding game. Abbey studied her six cards intently and also glanced at Jed's face. It was his crib which meant that she would show her hand first – but whichever of her cards she gave away would give him some points in the crib. The question was – which cards was she going to keep to ensure that she got to the 121 score before he did? And just how confident was he looking?

"Did you know that cribbage was attributed to a Sir John Suckling in the seventeenth century?" Jed said casually, pretending to study his cards while all the time knowing the dilemma that Abbey was in. "He was an expert at cards, a notorious womaniser and a complete scoundrel in addition to his day job as a poet."

"Jed, do be quiet," Abbey said. "I'm trying to do some complicated math here."

Jed suppressed a grin as he went on. "Of course, it's far more likely that cribbage was an extension of the Tudor game of Noddy, which means fool or dimwit, and the upturned Jack was known as Knave Noddy."

"I'm gonna upturn you in a minute if you don't shut up!"

"Promises, promises!" Jed chuckled then threw two cards down. "There, that should do it!"

Abbey made her decision and put her two cards down. "You sure of that, pumpkin?"

"Yup! Now let's have the starter card."

Abbey turned over the ten of clubs, and looked at him, keeping her face as straight as she could. "You _absolutely_ sure of that, pumpkinhead?"

"Absolutely. Your lead, I believe?"

Still watching him, Abbey slid a card out and put it down. "Ten."

Immediately Jed put his card down. "Twenty – pair for two." He moved his peg to the third hole before the end.

Abbey smirked. "Thirty – pair royal for six," she said, putting down another ten and moving her peg to the tenth hole behind him. Then she held her breath.

"Ah," Jed said.

"No ace?" Abbey grinned.

"Nope."

"Oh dear, how sad!" she said, totally unsympathetically, then leant forward to the peg board again. "Okay, one for last – that's another one for me. Still confident, Bartlet?" She knew now that she could win with her hand – if only she could stop him getting his last two points.

"You've not won yet!" Jed replied. He looked at his three remaining cards for a few moments, glanced at her over his glasses, then put the two of spades down.

Abbey weighed up her options, put down her five of hearts, said "Seven" and held her breath again. If he had another five or an eight, she'd lost it. Then when he didn't immediately put down a card, she leant back slightly and allowed herself a small smile.

Jed's lips tightened and he drew in his breath. "Ten," he said as he put a three of hearts down and watched her.

Abbey tossed down her final card, the Jack of diamonds. "Twenty."

He looked across at her and started grinning. Abbey's eyes widened. "If you've got another Jack there, I'm gonna kill you!"

"Just kidding," Jed said with a chuckle as he threw his remaining card down, the four of spades. "One for last."

Abbey punched the air triumphantly. "Yesss!"

"You gonna add up your cards?" he asked.

"Do I need to? Three tens, a Jack and a five – that's got to be at least – oh what the hell – it's over 121 anyway!"

"It's 124," Jed said. "You're only over by three."

Abbey waved her hand dismissively in the air. "Yeah, yeah – and you were under by one. Just live with it, honey, you lost!"

Jed laughed as he started to gather up the cards. "You remember, of course, that the loser gets to choose tomorrow night's game?"

"Hey, that was just the rule we had when the girls were small, so that they didn't mind losing."

"Yeah, and it still applies!"

"I don't recall it being a rule for grown-ups!"

"I just made it into one! You want another drink?"

Abbey glanced at her watch. "Okay, but just a small one." She stifled a yawn. "I think jet-lag's catching up with me again."

Jed went to get the drinks and then sat down on the couch next to her, slipping his arm round her shoulders. "You know, I think we've laughed more today than we've done in the whole of the last year."

"It's been fun," Abbey agreed. "No NSA briefings, no world crises, no phone calls, no knocks on the door – I think I just died and went to heaven!"

"Yeah, me too. Though it's a bit strange without a TV."

"You want to find some news on the radio?"

He shook his head. "It's not up to me any more, sweetheart. I guess I'll just have to get used to that now."

"Yeah." She yawned again. "Sorry, Jed, I'm going to have to go to bed."

He nodded. "You going for a shower first?"

Abbey sighed. "I don't think I've got the energy."

"Okay. You want some malted milk or something?"

"No, I just need a bed and a pillow. Shower's all yours, babe."

By the time Jed came into the bedroom after his shower, Abbey was sound asleep. He climbed in beside her, and kissed her cheek gently. "Night, sweetheart, I love you."

In her sleep, she turned and snuggled against him. Jed slipped his arm around her and smiled contentedly.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

"Morning, honey," Abbey said brightly as Jed, clad just in his pajama trousers, wandered blearily into the kitchen next morning, his hair tousled and his eyes still half-closed. "Did you sleep well?"

"What on earth are you doing up this early?"

"It's nine o'clock, Jed – last week you would have had at least six meetings by this time!"

"Yeah, that's as maybe – but my body clock is still saying it's four in the morning!"

"Want some toast?"

Jed yawned. "Okay – thanks. Is there any coffee?"

"Over there," Abbey nodded towards the coffee machine. "Help yourself."

As he passed her, Jed stopped to kiss her cheek, and then poured himself a mug of coffee and wandered through to the table in the sitting room. By the time Abbey came through with a pile of wholemeal toast, he was starting to feel a little more human.

"I thought we might try the car today – drive over to Ballykane? It's only about twenty miles."

"Yeah, that's fine," Abbey nodded, then looked across the table at him. "How d'you feel about finally seeing your mother's birthplace?"

Jed thought for a moment. "It's something I've always wanted to do. But it's over sixty years since she left Ireland, and there's no family left there now, as far as I know. She never really talked much about it. Her mother died when she was young, and her father died when I was about twelve. I never met him. It all seems a bit unreal."

"You've never studied that side of your family history?"

"Never had time. Besides, it was always drummed into me that I was a Bartlet – and that the Bartlets practically founded New Hampshire. The Irish side of me was ignored – and of course my father hated the fact that I chose my mother's Catholicism."

Abbey nodded She knew a little about John Bartlet's emotional and physical abuse of his elder son, but only a little. It was the one thing that Jed refused to talk about.

"You want any more toast?" she asked, and then when Jed shook his head, went on, "Okay, you gonna shower first or shall I?"

Jed looked across at her with a grin. "I'd very much like to suggest that we showered together – but unfortunately I doubt that we'd both fit into that small shower stall! So you go first."

Abbey stood up. "Okay, and while I do, would you please get your head around the issue of driving again. Just how long is it since you last drove a car?"

"No problem, you just put the key in and go."

"Heaven help us!" Abbey said, raising her eyebrows to the ceiling.

It was nearly eleven thirty by the time they went out to the car. Jed did a quick survey of the dials and gauges, and started up the engine. Fortunately the car was an automatic, so he pushed the lever and they set off down the lane which led to the main road.

"See, it's just like riding a bike, but more horsepower," he said.

"Fine, sweetheart – but how about you try driving on the left?"

"Ah – yeah, okay – I was just coming to that," he said with a grin as he moved the car over to the left-hand side of the lane.

Forty-five minutes later they had reached the main street of the small town of Ballykane. Jed found a parking spot at the side of the street and switched off the engine. "There, that wasn't too bad, was it?"

"You did okay, honey – I only shut my eyes once when you almost went the wrong way around that circle!"

"Roundabout – the Irish call 'em roundabouts! And – well, I got confused by the road signs."

"As if!" Abbey scoffed as she opened the car door.

The main street was busy with traffic, but fairly short and Jed looked first one way and then the other. "There it is," he said after a couple of seconds. "There's a Post Office sign – that must be it."

He reached out to take her hand, and together they walked along the street until they stood in front of a two-storey stone building.

"So this is it," Jed said quietly. "This is where my mom grew up. Wonder what her life was like then? Small Irish town in the thirties – bet they all knew everything about everyone."

"You want to go in?"

"Yeah, why not?"

They went into the small Post Office building which doubled as a newsagent and candy store and waited while an elderly white-haired man in front of them was served.

Abbey glanced sideways at Jed. "How long is it since you actually had to wait to be served?" she whispered.

Jed returned her glance with a grin. "How long is it since I actually went into a shop that hadn't been closed to the public first?"

"It's a whole new world out here, babe!"

Jed stepped aside to let the old man pass them and then turned back to the woman behind the counter. "Hi, we're wondering if you can help us – we're interested in Michael Egan who was the postmaster here after the First World War until the 1950's."

The woman looked blank. "Sorry, I don't know the name at all, I've on'y been here for about seven years – so I don't think I can help ye there," she said apologetically.

"Yeah, I understand," Jed replied. "But maybe there are records somewhere?"

The woman shook her head. "If there are, they'll probably be in Dublin."

"Okay – so there's nothing locally?"

"Not that I know of. Dan!" she called suddenly.

Jed turned as a middle-aged man came through the curtains at the back of the shop.

"Dan," said the woman, "these folk are askin' 'bout someone who used to be postmaster here after the First World War – Michael Egan, was it?"

Dan seemed to sum up the situation immediately. "He an ancestor of yours?" he asked.

"Yes, Michael Egan was my grandfather – and my mother grew up here in the thirties."

"Aye, well then, ye're very welcome to have a look around."

With a smile, Dan held open the curtain and beckoned them through. After a quick glance at Abbey, Jed followed him, into what looked like a store room.

"The shop's been enlarged over the years," Dan told them. "The back part of the shop was prob'ly the original family room, and this would've been the kitchen. As ye can see, the old sink's still over there, near the back door."

Jed glanced around the room, trying to visualise it as it might have been. He looked across at the old square sink. "I wonder how many times my mom stood there, doing the dishes or maybe washing clothes?"

"Aye, ye're right there – no washing machines or dish washers in t'em days." Dan then led them up a narrow and steep flight of stairs. "Up here has all been altered too – it's been extended at the back – our bedroom and the bathroom are in the extension, and one of the original bedrooms is now our kitchen. But this would've been the main bedroom, I t'ink." He opened the door into a modern sitting room whose single window overlooked the main street.

"Ye'll have to use yer imagination," he chuckled. "Old iron frame bed against that wall, mebbe, a big old wardrobe and dresser – and a fire burning in the hearth for winter nights. Now we got central heating, o'course."

"You've made it into a lovely room," Abbey said warmly. Jed simply gazed round the room, trying, though without much success, to superimpose the image of a 1930's bedroom on to the modern furnishings and decoration of the sitting room. This wasn't what he had imagined at all.

"Thank 'e, that's the wife's doin', not mine!" Dan was saying, then he opened the door of the room next to the sitting room. "This is prob'ly the on'y room that's anythin' like the original. We use it as a spare bedroom, which means everythin' gets dumped in here!"

It was a much smaller room than the sitting room, with just enough space for a single bed, on which was piled an assortment of cardboard boxes, and a small dresser.

Abbey looked round at Jed. "Maybe this was your Mom's bedroom?"

"Yeah," he said, "could've been, I guess. May I?" he asked Dan, taking a step into the room.

"Ye're welcome."

Jed walked past the bed to the small window and stood for a moment looking out on to the main street. Was this the view his mother saw every morning when she opened her bedroom curtains? A few houses along a busy road, and no view at all of the green Irish countryside that lay just beyond the small town. How different she must have found the large rambling house in New Hampshire where she had lived with his father.

"Ye'll stay for a cuppa tea?" Dan was asking Abbey.

Jed turned from the window before Abbey could reply. "Thank you, but we really mustn't take up any more of your time. You've been very kind."

The truth was that he couldn't wait to get away from the house. They repeated their thanks when they went downstairs and then went out into the street.

"You're disappointed," Abbey said, taking Jed's hand.

"Yes, I am. I don't know what I expected – but I really didn't feel anything. Maybe that's because it's all been altered so much."

"Sixty years is a long time, it would've been more surprising if it had stayed the same."

"That's true. I suppose in my mind I was imagining some quaint old place with wooden beams and uneven walls, and instead it was all modern wallpaper and white painted woodwork."

"I'm sorry, honey," Abbey said, squeezing his hand.

He looked round at her with a rueful half smile then said, "Let's go see if we can find the church, maybe that will have more atmosphere."

"It's there, isn't it?" Abbey pointed at the church tower near the end of the street.

"No, that's more likely to be the Church of Ireland – Anglican," he added. "Don't forget that Ireland belonged to Britain until 1922 – and the Brits imposed their own religion here for centuries. But there must be a Catholic church somewhere."

"Let's ask at the pub then – that one over there," suggested Abbey.

"Good idea. Are you ready for some lunch?"

"Even better idea," was Abbey's reply.

The pub was fairly quiet and they sat down at the table near the window overlooking the main street. They decided to try 'boxty' when they discovered it was an Irish potato pancake stuffed with smoked cheese, and washed down in Jed's case with a glass of Guinness and in Abbey's with white wine.

"That was good," Jed said, wiping his mouth with the paper napkin.

"What – the food or the Guinness?"

"Both! Maybe we ought to buy a book of Irish recipes while we're here?"

"Don't forget we were gonna ask about the church," Abbey reminded him.

She followed him to the bar and they waited while the barman served another couple.

"I heard ye askin' about the Egans."

They both turned to see the speaker, an old man who was sitting at the far end of the bar, sipping a pint glass of Guinness. He had a craggy weather-beaten face and a shock of white hair and Jed recognised him as the man who was served before them in the post office.

"Yeah, that's right," he said, moving along the bar towards the man.

"None left round here now."

"You knew some of them?"

"Aye, I did too. Old man Egan – he was the postmaster in the town."

Jed nodded. "Yes, he was – for over thirty years."

The old man frowned slightly. "Ye're not from these parts, are you? But ye do look a mite familiar."

Abbey dug Jed in his back. "Wait for it," she whispered.

Jed smiled at the old man. "We're from America."

"America, is it then? Aye, well now, Egan's lass went off t'America – about a year after the war it was. Can't remember her name now."

"Annie?" Jed prompted.

"T'at's right – Annie Egan. Nice looking girl, she was. Bright blue eyes – come to t'ink of it, a bit like yours, son. Quite fancied her meself at one time."

Jed and Abbey exchanged amused glances. The old man sipped his dark beer, then wiped the froth from his moustache. "Rumour had it that she was up the duff with one of them Yankee sailors from that submarine that had to put into Galway Bay for repairs."

Something stilled inside Jed. He shot a quick glance at Abbey – a glance that was no longer amused, then looked back at the old man. "Up the duff?" He knew what it meant, but needed the confirmation.

"Aye, you know, in't fam'ly way." The old man patted his stomach. "She went off t'America to marry 'im – a lot o' girls did that after the war"

Feeling that Abbey was about to say something, Jed quickly put his hand sideways to stop her. "Do you remember what year that was?" he asked the old man.

"Must've been 46 – aye, year after the war ended, they was all off."

"And the submarine in the bay, when was that?"

"'T'at was March. I remember t'at cos all the girls flocked to Galway City on St Paddy's Day to meet them damn Yankees – 'cept for my Molly, o' course, and a few others t'at were already – ye all right, son?"

Jed had had to put his hand out to the edge of the bar to support himself. He had felt the blood draining from his face, knew that a cold sweat had broken out on his forehead, and now he thought that his knees were going to buckle under him.

"Sorry, I – I need some air…"

Unsteadily he made his way to the door of the pub, and once outside leaned back against the stone wall, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths to fight back the nausea that threatened to rise to his throat.

Abbey had followed him quickly. "Jed–?" she said anxiously.

Jed clenched both his fists. "I'm okay – but – but don't say anything, Abbey – just don't say anything!" Taking another deep breath, he opened his eyes again. "C'mon," he said abruptly.

"Where are we going?"

"I don't know."

He strode off down the main street, his hands thrust into the pockets of his fleece jacket. Abbey had to quicken her step to keep pace with him. As she reached to link her arm through his, she could feel the tension in his body. She glanced up at him, but he was staring ahead, his face set like granite. She knew that his mind was wrestling with something, but she didn't fully understand what it was. She only knew that he would tell her when he was ready.

Near the end of the main street, they turned on to a path that led them through a small parkland area by a narrow river, and then up on to a low rise of land that overlooked part of the town. Jed stopped by a wooden bench, unlinked his arm from hers and walked a few steps to look down at the cluster of houses below.

"So this is where my life really started," he said very quietly, almost to himself. "Here in Ireland – not New Hampshire at all–"

Abbey watched him anxiously. "Jed–?"

He turned to her, and she could see that the tension had seeped away, leaving him looking somehow lost and very vulnerable. "Work it out, Abbey. When's my birthday?"

Abbey was taken aback. "Sixth of December – but why–?"

"And the year?"

"1946."

"And when was submarine in the bay? The time the Yankee sailors were in town?"

"March."

"Yes – March 1946. And that was when my mother got – up the duff," he gave a rueful half-laugh, then shrugged slightly. "Obviously with me."

"I didn't know your father was in the Navy?"

"John Bartlet was in the Army, until he was invalided out in 1944, after D-Day."

Abbey frowned. "Jed – I just don't understand–"

Jed sank down slowly on the bench, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his thighs and looking straight ahead of him. "There was an older brother – Edward Bartlet – Eddy, they called him. My grandparents had a photo of him on the dresser in the kitchen at the farm. I remember asking my grandfather about him once when I was a kid." He paused, took a deep breath and swallowed hard. "Eddy was a career officer in the Navy – he was a Lieutenant Commander by the end of the war. But he died when his submarine was lost in a tropical storm in the South China Sea. In July 1946."

"Oh!" was all Abbey could say, as her brain tried to absorb the enormity of what Jed was trying to tell her. And then "Oh my God–" she breathed. "But that means–"

Jed looked round at her and nodded slowly. "Yes indeed." He took another deep breath. "I guess it means that Eddy Bartlet was my father."

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Totally stunned, Abbey stared across at him. She watched as a whole range of confused and conflicting emotions crossed Jed's stricken face. Finally he looked down again and covered his face with his hand. Abbey moved quickly to sit beside him. She put her arm round his shoulders, and his other hand reached out to find hers and grasp it tightly. They sat like that for several minutes and Abbey felt the tears welling in her eyes, her heart going out to him as he struggled to come to terms with the enormous shock.

Eventually drew in a deep breath then sat upright again and looked round at her with a shaky smile. "Can I have a cigarette, Abbey?"

Abbey looked at him through her tear-filled eyes and nodded. Now was absolutely _not_ the right time to lecture him about his smoking.

Jed reached for the cigarette packet and lighter from his pocket, lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. "So – I guess I got more than I bargained for, huh?"

"You want to talk about it?"

"Maybe – except I don't even know where to start."

She drew in a deep breath. "Okay – so – so let's start at the beginning. It's March 1946 – and Annie Egan and Eddy Bartlet meet in Galway City–"

"Too many unanswered questions already – how did they meet? How long did they know each other before–? Or was it just a one-night stand? A quick tumble in some seedy hotel bedroom, maybe? Oh God," he ended bitterly.

Abbey put her hand on his knee. "She went to America to marry him, Jed. That has to mean that it was more than just a one-night stand."

Jed nodded slowly in acknowledgement. "Yeah, I guess so – thanks for that, sweetheart." Then he sighed. "But there are so many things we'll never know, aren't there? Did she just turn up at the farm and say 'Hi, I'm going to be your new daughter-in-law'? Did she get there before or after Eddy died? Did Eddy even know she was pregnant? We'll never know."

"But we do know that she married your–" Abbey caught back the word quickly, "–that she married John Bartlet."

"Yeah, and they got married in September '46. I only found that out after his death, remember?"

Abbey nodded. "Yes, when you found their marriage certificate. That really shocked you, didn't it?"

"At the time, yes, but then it actually seemed to clarify things and I started to think that maybe he resented me so much because he'd had to marry her, because he'd got her pregnant. But now we've gotten ourselves a whole new ball-game, haven't we?"

Abbey frowned slightly. "I can't help but wonder why she married him though – just two months after Eddy died?"

Jed thought for a few moments. "She was alone and pregnant in a strange country – and this was 1946, remember, there was a real stigma then to being an unmarried mother."

"Did they love each other?" Abbey asked.

"Hard to say," Jed said, thinking back to the home in which he'd grown up. "They weren't very demonstrative, I never saw them in a hot passionate embrace. That was their generation though, wasn't it? But yeah, I think they did care for each other, in their own way – and of course they had Jonathan–"

Jed's voice tailed off and Abbey knew that they had reached the other huge issue that had been opened up – John Bartlet's very different treatment of Jed and his younger brother.

"Jed–" she began.

Jed shook his head. "Don't go there, Abbey. I need some time. I need to get my head right round this one."

"Okay." She squeezed his hand reassuringly and he gave her a small smile – but one that didn't reach the inner anguish that clouded his eyes.

After a few minutes of silence, Jed stood up and held out his hand. "Let's go." He stamped out his cigarette and hand-in-hand they walked slowly back down the path into the town.

"That old fellow must have thought me exceedingly rude," Jed commented. "Firing all those questions at him – and then walking out."

"He's probably forgotten by now. I slipped him a twenty Euro note before I came out after you."

"Enough for a few more pints of Guinness, then," Jed grinned.

As they reached the car, Jed clicked the key and moved to open Abbey's door for her. "We're leaving already?" she asked. "What about the church?"

Jed hesitated for a moment, then clicked the key to lock the doors again. "Okay. But let's not go back in the pub to ask for directions – I couldn't cope with the old man yanking any more skeletons out of the Egan family closet. One is more than enough."

"Stay there a minute then," Abbey said and walked a few steps to a hardware store. "Okay," she said as she came out again, "along here, and second street on the right."

As they turned into the street, the church came into view and Jed gave an ironic laugh. "And wouldn't you know it? They've demolished the old church and built this nice new modern one!"

The notice board told them the church had been built in 1977, on the site of the original Catholic church which had dated from 1832. It was all concrete and glass, albeit a reasonably attractive design with a steeply pitched roof.

"Can I help ye?" a voice asked and they looked round to see a young sandy haired man who was tidying the small garden in front of the church.

"Is the church open?" Jed asked.

The young man nodded his head. "Aye, Father Michael went in there about a half hour ago."

Jed looked at Abbey. "Abbey, I'd like to go inside on my own. Is that okay with you?"

She nodded understandingly. "Of course it is. I'll wait here."

As Jed disappeared through the door, the young man turned to her. "Ye're American?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Did anyone tell ye that y'r husband looks a bit like the President? The one who's just finished, I mean."

"Well, yes, a few people have mentioned it," Abbey said with an innocent smile.

"There were some Yanks here last year – they said he was the best President ye've ever had over there."

"Oh yes, I absolutely agree with that," she nodded, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Funny t'ing, but my gran'ma had a friend who went out to America years ago and married someone called Bartlet – she says she's sure it was the same fam'ly as the President. But then she's gettin' on a bit, so she does like to imagine t'ings sometimes."

Abbey's heartbeat quickened. "Does – does your grandma live around here then?"

"Aye, and still cooks and does for herself. She's lived in the same cottage all her life – back there on the main street, next to the Post Office."

"That's wonderful," Abbey said warmly, while her mind worked overtime. "And she tells you a lot about her life?"

"All the time. For all she's eighty-one, she's still sharp – man from the history society came to ask her all about the town and what it was like when she was a child, and then they put a lot of her stories in a book. I t'ink you can still buy it at the bookshop on the main street. There's even a photo of her in the book."

"That sounds very interesting, we'll have a look for it," Abbey replied. "What's your grandmother's name then – so that we'll know which is her photo?"

"Mary Cavanagh."

"You don't happen to know her friend's name, do you? The one who went to America?"

The young man thought for a moment. "Sorry – can't remember," he said finally.

Abbey shook her head. "Don't worry about it," she said then turned as Jed came out of the church. "Okay?" she asked him.

"Yeah, fine," he smiled reassuringly at her.

Turning back to the young man, Abbey flashed him one of her dazzling smiles. "It's been good talking to you – thank you."

As they walked back up to the main street, Abbey looked round at Jed. "Were you – all right in the church?"

Jed glanced sideways at her and grinned. "If you're asking whether I ranted at God, the answer's no. But maybe I did just ask Him not to send me any more gut-wrenching revelations – at least for the time being."

"Jed, that young man was telling me about his grandmother who's in her eighties and–"

"Oh no – no, no, no, _no_!" Jed replied. "I really do _not_ want to talk to any more old people in this town."

Abbey went on, choosing her words carefully. "From what he said, I think she may have known your mother."

Jed stopped and turned to her. "Abbey, didn't you hear me? I don't want to talk to _anyone_. Just let me deal with all this my own way – okay, sweetheart?"

"Okay." As they walked on, she knew that the initial raw shock had worn off and that Jed had shut himself down. It was his way of dealing with something so enormous. With national problems and international crises, his quick brain and keen intellect could react immediately. But with something so intensely personal, he had to pull the shutters down on his thoughts and emotions until his mind was ready to absorb, analyse and then resolve the issue. There was no way that he could take any more just yet.

But Abbey knew that she had already made up her mind – somehow _she_ was going to find a way of visiting Mary Cavanagh before they left Ireland.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Rating for this chapter is NC-17

By the time they got back to the cottage, it was almost five o'clock and already dark. They had spent a short time at the bookstore in Ballykane and Abbey found the book about the town. When she showed it to Jed, he simply nodded then looked back at the poetry book he had been leafing through. Abbey suppressed a small sigh, knowing that if the circumstances had been different, he would have found the book fascinating. But she still bought it along with a CD of Irish songs, while Jed bought Murphy's _Twentieth Century Ireland_ and a small volume of Yeats' poetry.

Before they reached the car, Jed drew her to a standstill just across the road from the Post Office and they stood there for a few moments. Slowly he shook his head. "Today's not turned out anything like we expected, has it?"

In reply, Abbey squeezed his hand. "We'll deal with it, Jed – when you're ready."

"Yeah." Then he turned away. "C'mon, let's go. Let's just get away from this place."

They stopped briefly at the village store to stock up on fresh salad, bread rolls and milk and then returned to the cottage. It was still too early for supper, so instead they settled down in the sitting room with glasses of red wine, Abbey on a big cushion on the floor near the stove, and Jed on the couch across from her, while the CD of Irish songs played softly in the background.

For a while, they sat in comfortable silence. Abbey was reading the Ballykane book and Jed had his _Twentieth Century Ireland_ open in front of him. He read the first paragraph and then realised that he didn't have any idea of what he had just read. After that, he simply stared down at the meaningless jumble of words on the page while his thoughts shot off in what seemed to be a dozen different directions at the same time.

Just _what_ had happened between his mother and Eddy Bartlet? He thought about her for a few minutes – heard again the softly spoken Irish accent that she had never lost despite the American words and phrases she had started to use – saw again the dutiful Headmaster's wife, accompanying him to school and town functions – and remembered how she had always seemed to defer, calmly and unemotionally, to John. _Almost_ always, he thought suddenly, because there had been times – not many, but he could remember a few – when her blue eyes had held a spark of determination, when she had stood up to him over something. Even so, it was still difficult to equate the mother he had known with the young woman who had had what must have been a short but intense love affair with an American submariner. And if she'd been so much in love with him that she'd gone to America to marry him, why then had she then married John Bartlet so soon after Eddy's death?

Jed shook his head slightly. There was no point in going over questions that could never be answered. Instead he turned his thoughts to John Bartlet and his lips tightened. How in hell could he even _start_ to deal with the knowledge that the man he had thought was his father wasn't his father at all? How could he come to terms with the realisation that his real father was just a vague figure about whom he knew virtually nothing? And how could he ever get his head around the fact that John Bartlet had hated his brother's child . . . ?

Abruptly Jed reined back his thoughts. No, stop right there, he thought quickly, I'm not ready for this yet. He shut the book, took off his glasses, put them both on the coffee table and stood up.

Abbey looked up from her book. "Where are you going?"

"I'm coming to sit with you."

He threw a cushion down on the floor, picked up his glass of wine and handed it to her while he sat down next to her. "Good book?"

Abbey handed his glass back to him. "Yeah, a lot of old folks' memories, collected by the history society. It's interesting."

Jed sipped his wine and nodded. "They ought to do that more often – collect memories before the older folk die off, before the living memories about the past disappear for ever."

"They do it at home too, Jed," Abbey reminded him.

"Yeah, I know – but not enough. Maybe I should've passed a bill, given it some funding–"

"Too late, gumdrop!"

Jed leaned back against the couch, listening to the soft Irish voice from the CD player singing 'Wild Mountain Thyme' and trying to ignore the demons that were still fighting inside his head. "I love this song."

Abbey nodded and they sat there side by side for a few minutes. Intuitively aware of the tenseness he was trying to hide, she desperately wanted to ask him something, to get him talking about his mother and Eddy Bartlet – and John too. But she knew that it was too soon, that he would only retreat further into himself. So instead she put her book and glasses on the couch behind her and looked round at him. "Put your glass down, Jed."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want you to spill your wine."

"I'm not–"

Abbey took his glass from him and put it on the hearth.

"No, but you might," she said as her hand reached for the belt of his jeans and started unfastening it.

Jed narrowed his eyes and gave her an amused look. "Just what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"You aiming to seduce me?"

"I might be."

He grinned. "Okay."

As Abbey unfastened the belt and the button and then pulled his zipper down, Jed slid himself down until his head was resting on the cushion he had just been sitting on, and pulled another cushion under his back

"Okay it is then, boyfriend." She lifted his polo-shirt and leant forward to kiss his stomach and Jed closed his eyes, loving the fact that her silky hair which had fallen forward was doing just as much to arouse him as her mouth was.

She slipped her hand inside the waistband of his jeans and boxers at the same time and he raised himself slightly so that she could start to slide them down, giving a small grunt of pleasure as he felt her hand on his thigh.

He opened his eyes slightly. "You'd better get yours off too," he said, then grinned. "I told you that you didn't need panties, didn't I?"

"Who said I was wearing any?" Abbey said lightly as she finished pulling Jed's jeans off, and then quickly removed her own, so quickly that Jed couldn't actually tell whether she was sassing him or not. She turned back to him and brought her mouth down on his. Jed felt his body starting to respond as her tongue found his and explored it gently.

At the same time, she was sliding his polo shirt up and they paused only for a few more moments while Jed took off the shirt and Abbey did the same with her sweater, and then unfastened her bra and cast it aside.

Jed leaned back again against the cushion and closed his eyes. "You're in charge, sweetheart." He always loved it when Abbey took the lead, loved the amazing things she could do to him with her hands and her mouth, and knew that she got turned on too as she watched him losing control. So he lay back and contentedly stroked her hair, as her mouth descended to his neck, his chest, his stomach and then –

He tensed, waiting for the moment when her mouth and tongue would touch his hardening shaft. The first time she had done it – all those years ago – he had felt as if he had been catapulted straight up to the ceiling and had climaxed almost immediately. He'd been embarrassed and muttered 'Sorry' but her reply was still there in his mind–"Jed, it's okay – I just love what I can do to you." Now he was ready for that moment, and could control it, even though it had the same effect on him as that very first time.

But he still caught his breath and then groaned. He heard Abbey's voice–"Hang in there, babe."

"I'm trying" was all he could he could gasp as her tongue and then her mouth did all the things that she knew drove him insane and sent wild flames surging through him He groaned, clenching and unclenching his fists in a fierce effort not to roll her right over and thrust straight into her.

Abbey, knowing that he was on the verge of losing it completely, felt the warm spasm deep inside her as all her nerve endings started tingling. As Jed's shoulders and neck arched and his head went back with a sudden groan, her own body quivered involuntarily. She loved it when she could inflame him like this. Then she lifted her head away from him, giving them both a few seconds respite. "You ready for me?" Without waiting for an answer, she pulled herself up to straddle him.

"I'm always ready," he said, his breath coming in short gasps. Then he opened his eyes momentarily and squinted up at her. "You okay?"

"You bet." The so-familiar sensual look was there in her half-closed eyes and he knew she was already on the edge.

As her hand guided him into her, he had to draw in a deep breath to steady himself as he felt her enclosing him.

"This is just so good," Abbey echoed his own thought and they were both still for a few moments, savouring the beautiful familiarity of their togetherness.

Then, slowly, Abbey started moving on him and he felt the ache building up inside him, felt his control going, his body taking over as they moved together in the familiar rhythm, both starting to gasp with the sheer intensity of their increasingly urgent need. He reached for her hips, pulling her even harder on to him, and heard her frantic cries of "Yes – yes – yes–" When she threw her head back with a cry of "Jed! –ye-ess!" all he could do was thrust wildly up into her and then gasp her name with the final spasm that took him into his own mind-blowing release. Then they both collapsed, limp and exhausted.

Eventually Jed stirred, catching his breath again. "Oh God, that was good," he groaned, then shifted uncomfortably against the hard floor. The cushion had slipped from under him during their fierce lovemaking, and he pulled it back under his hips again. "What the hell are we doing lying here on the rug?"

Abbey was still on top of him, breathing heavily and he could feel her heart thumping against him. After a minute or so, she raised her head, her satisfied green eyes looking into his. "We just made love on the floor – and it was heaven."

Jed nodded, "Yeah, it sure was," he said softly. He put his arms around her as she dropped her head against his chest again. Then suddenly he started chuckling to himself.

"What?" she murmured.

"I was just thinking of that time when I wanted to jump you right on the floor of the Oval."

"And which particular time was that?" Abbey said against his chest. "I seem to recall there were a good few of those times."

"After Rosslyn – fourteen weeks after – _fourteen_ whole weeks, each with seven days, and, more to the point, seven whole nights too – I counted 'em all. And then when I finally tried to seduce you that night, all I got was a crappy lecture on how women were being ignored in American history."

She raised her head. "Carry on like that, Jethro, and you'll be waiting another fourteen weeks!" Her voice was stern but her eyes danced with amusement.

"Give me fourteen minutes instead and I'll be ready for Round Two."

"You sure about that?" she said doubtfully.

"Uh – oh, maybe not. I'm not as young as I used to be."

Abbey's voice softened. "I love you so much, Jed, I feel like my head's gonna fly off sometimes."

Jed's eyes met hers. "Yeah–" Cupping her face with his hands, he reached up to kiss her gently.

Then she lay down across him again with her head on his shoulder and they stayed there for a long time. Jed's arms enfolded her and silently he thanked God for her. He loved her more than life itself – loved her when she was being sexy and provocative, loved her when she was compliant and tender, loved her when she was feisty and argumentative, loved her even when she was mad at him – and loved her because she was his Abbey, his wife, his lover, his confidante, his best friend and his soulmate – the woman who knew him better than he knew himself.

Because tonight she had known just what to do to get the demons out of his head.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

They both stirred when they heard the ring tone from Abbey's cell phone. "Oh no!" she groaned, lifting herself off him. "I forgot to turn it off."

"Leave it," Jed said lazily.

"Jed, I can't. It's one of the girls – I've blocked all other calls, and they wouldn't call unless it was important."

Abbey stood up and rummaged in her purse for her phone. She clicked it, said 'Hello?' and then looked across at him. "It won't connect properly in here, the walls are too thick – I need to go outside."

Jed raised himself up on one elbow. "Not in the nude, sweetheart! It's a little chilly out there – and anyway you'd distract the agents."

The ringing stopped.

"Damn!" Abbey said and clicked the phone a few times again, eventually finding the caller ID. "It's Liz," she told him.

Jed nodded. "Okay, you'd better call her back."

As Abbey grabbed her clothes from the floor and dressed quickly, Jed lay there watching her and hoping that Liz wasn't going to be reporting some major crisis. After she'd gone outside to make the call, he eventually forced himself to stand up and headed for the shower. He was just towelling himself down when Abbey came into the bathroom.

"Well?"

Abbey hesitated. "Do you want the good news or the bad news first?"

Jed wrapped the towel round his waist. "Okay, hit me with it. What's the bad news?"

"Liz and Doug have split."

He stood there for a moment, then raised his eyes to the ceiling. "Thanks, God," he said with heavy irony. "All I asked for was no more gut wrenching revelations – and You throw _this_ at us?" He lowered his eyes and looked at Abbey anxiously. "How is she?"

"She's fine–" then as she saw doubt flicker across his face, "–yes, honestly, Jed, she's fine. She's known for the last two months that it was going to happen – but she told Doug that he couldn't leave until after you finished, so that it wouldn't hit the press while you were still President."

Jed felt a sudden wave of tenderness for his daughter. "She did that?"

"Yeah." Abbey looked at him for a moment, then hesitated before she went on, "Doug found himself a new playmate."

"Damn him!" Jed struck the bathroom wall so hard with his fist that the window rattled. "God damn him!" he yelled again, then rubbed his bruised fist against his other palm. "I should've had him castrated when I found out about the nanny! So who is it this time?"

"His campaign secretary."

Jed seemed about to explode again, but then he heaved a deep sigh and nodded resignedly, "Okay – okay – so let's just forget him. How is Liz dealing with it?"

"She's all right – in fact she's relieved. Jed, their marriage has been on the rocks for a long time."

"Yeah, I know." Jed struggled anew with the thought that anyone could treat one of his daughters so badly. "We should go home," he said. "She needs us."

"No," Abbey said, "I asked her that and she said no, she's okay. Zoey's with her and the kids are fine about it all. Annie's in college and Gus is ten, they're not babies, Jed."

Jed inclined his head in acknowledgement. "True."

"Jed, she's not unhappy – she's almost on a high now that it's actually happened."

"Okay." He looked across at her. "Is that the good news then?"

Abbey smiled. "No, it's better than that. Ellie's pregnant again – it was confirmed this morning."

Jed's eyes lit up. "Now that _is_ good news! Is everything okay?" he added, recalling the sadness of Ellie's miscarriage the previous year.

"A bit of morning sickness but apart from that, yes."

"We really should go home, Abbey."

Abbey shook her head. "No, they're fine. Jed, they're not your little girls any more, they're adults. They can survive without us for a few days."

And besides, she added in her mind, there's unfinished business here first.

She handed him the cell-phone. "Get yourself dressed and go outside and call Liz – and then call Ellie – because I know that's the only thing that will put your mind at rest." She patted the damp hairs on his chest. "Now go away and let me use that shower."

By the time Jed came back into the cottage, Abbey had showered and dressed again, and was in the kitchen mixing a salad. "Okay?"

"Yeah – Liz said she would never speak to me again if I brought you home early from this trip, and Ellie asked me if I intended to hold her hand for the whole of the next seven months! So yeah, I guess they're OK. But when we get home we're gonna make damn sure that that – that _cretin_ – gets totally screwed on alimony!"

"I'm sure that Liz is quite capable of doing that for herself," Abbey said dryly. "Here, take this through to the table, would you?"

"You know that Ellie's intending to carry on working till a couple of weeks before the baby's due?" he called back to her as he took the salad bowl to the table.

"Yeah – I did that when I was having her too," Abbey replied.

"And that only seems like yesterday," Jed commented ruefully.

As they talked first about Liz and Doug and then started to reminisce about the girls over supper and into the evening, Abbey didn't know whether to be glad or sorry that Liz's phone call had taken Jed's mind off the other events of the day. On the one hand he needed time – and this was giving him a breathing space; on the other she was half afraid that he was going to push it all to the back of his mind and refuse to think about it all.

She soon had her answer. At ten o'clock she yawned and stood up. "I think I'll go get ready for bed." He didn't follow her and after she'd undressed and slipped into her bathrobe, she went to the door of the sitting room. Jed was sitting on the couch, leaning forward and staring into distance. He was miles away.

"Jed–?" she said softly, and when he glanced quickly round at her, continued, "You coming to bed?"

"Not yet," he said. "I just want to sit here for a while."

"Do you want me to sit with you?"

Slowly he shook his head. "I think I'd rather be on my own." He raised apologetic eyes to hers. "I'm sorry, honey–"

"It's okay." She took the few steps to him and kissed his forehead gently. "I understand, Jed. You know I'm here when you're ready."

He caught hold of her hand and squeezed it, looking up at her and managing a small smile. "Yeah, I know. I love you, Abbey."

"I love you too."

They held each other's eyes for a few moments and then Abbey went back towards the bedroom. As she reached the door, she glanced round at him. He had leant back against the couch, his hands behind his head, his eyes closed – and her heart ached for him. There was a lump in her throat as she closed the door and went to bed.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Although, as Abbey had guessed, the news about his daughters had diverted Jed's thoughts during the evening, the shock discovery of earlier in the day had never been far from his mind. Now he knew that he would never sleep until he had at least tried to unscramble some of the million and one thoughts going round in his head. Ignoring for the moment his burning curiosity about his mother's relationship with Eddy Bartlet, he tried to think back to anything – _anything_ – that would tell him something about this stranger who had suddenly become part of himself.

He tried to visualise again the photograph that had stood on the kitchen dresser at the farm when his grandparents were still alive, but somehow it was blurred in his inner vision and he couldn't capture the details. All he could remember was a young man in naval uniform standing between his father and his uncle.

But he did remember clearly the time when he had asked his grandfather about that photograph. He had been about ten at the time. "Grandpa, who's that other man with my Dad and Uncle Steve?"

His grandfather had picked up the photograph, looked down at it and then looked back at him. "That's Edward, Jed – we always called him Eddy," he'd said. "He was my oldest son."

"Then he's my uncle, Grandpa? Like Uncle Steve?"

His grandfather had looked at him for a few moments. "No – he died, Jed. So he's not your uncle."

Jed sat bolt upright. There it was – there was the clue he had missed all those years ago. But he was only ten, how could he possibly have picked up on it then?

His grandfather had gone on to tell him about Eddy and the pride had shone from his eyes. "He was a Lieutenant Commander by the end of the war, Jed – okay, maybe promotion comes more quickly when there's a war on – but Eddy was on his way to the top. He was intelligent – and he was capable and energetic. He'd have been a Captain by now and then gone from there – Admiral, maybe even a Chief of Staff."

"What – what happened to him, Grandpa?" Jed had asked hesitantly.

"His submarine went down in the South China Sea – July 1946 it was – a tropical storm blew up fast, and something went wrong with the diving equipment. They couldn't dive – and so they took the full brunt of the storm, and the sub broke up. All hands lost. A tragedy – a real tragedy–"

And then his father had walked into the kitchen and looked at the photo. "What are you doing with that?" he asked.

"I was telling Jed how Eddy died," said his grandfather.

John Bartlet had taken the photo and put it back on the dresser. "No use dwelling on the past, Dad."

And that evening, when they were back at home again, Jed remembered how his father had hit him hard, right across his face.

"Why did you ask your grandfather about Eddy?" he'd demanded.

"I – I just asked who the other man in the photo was."

"And just _what_ did he tell you?"

"Just – just about Eddy being in the Navy and his sub going down in a storm."

Then came the sharp slap – Jed could still hear and feel it now, feel how his head had been jerked to one side by the force of the slap – and could still feel how his eyes stung as he tried to fight back the tears that would only make his father even more angry with him.

"Don't you ever – _ever_ – ask your grandfather about him again," his father had shouted. "You're so _stupid_, Jed, asking him about his son who was killed, upsetting him all over again. Now go to your room."

And I didn't argue back, Jed thought with a sigh, didn't repeat that I had only asked who the man was, that I hadn't known that he had died. There was no point, it would only have led to another stinging blow. Instead I just ran to my room and sat on the bed, trying not to cry.

"No!" The word came out of him almost as a groan and Jed quickly shook his head to rid himself of the almost unbearable image of that hurt and bewildered small boy who was himself. "No, I can't go there–"

He stood up and reached for the cigarette packet that he had left on the table, then quickly flipped on his fleece and opened the door of the cottage quietly.

His hands were shaking slightly as he lit his cigarette, but after inhaling deeply he started to walk across to the fence that surrounded the cottage. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could see the agent standing there.

"You got the bum deal tonight then, Andy?"

"I like the night shift, sir. Specially here. I like looking at all the stars – you never see this many in DC."

"Too much light pollution," Jed nodded and let his gaze wander across the dark unclouded sky, with its millions of twinkling lights. "There's Orion – and Canis Major – Canis Minor – Taurus – Auriga – Gemini – Pleiades–"

"You sure know your constellations, sir."

"Yeah, the sky's pretty good in New Hampshire too. At least it used to be until your lot installed all those floodlights that come on the minute even a mouse moves."

"Sorry about that, sir."

Jed chuckled then turned and leaned on the fence, looking across the black water of the bay. Here and there were pinpricks of light from distant houses and occasionally car headlights came over a small rise in the road. An owl hooted in the nearby woods, and a dog barked suddenly. But then everything was quiet again, the only sound the lapping of the waves on the shore below, and Jed slowly relaxed, lulled by the peacefulness of it all. 'I'm tired,' he thought, 'I can't think about it any more tonight.' Unconsciously he drew in a deep breath and then let it out in a long sigh.

"Everything okay, sir?" asked the agent.

Jed had almost forgotten he was there. He turned to Andy and nodded. "Yeah. Guess I'd better go back in now." Stamping out his cigarette, he started to walk back to the cottage door.

"Goodnight, sir."

"Night, Andy."

He locked the door, switched off the light and went through to the bedroom. By the soft light of the small bedside lamp, he could see that Abbey had fallen asleep so he tiptoed through to the bathroom, careful not to disturb her. He winced slightly as he turned the shower on, thinking that it sounded as loud as Niagara Falls. But when he went back into the bedroom, she was still asleep. For a few moments, he stood looking down at her. "I love you so much, Abbey, I feel like my head's gonna fly off sometimes," he thought, echoing the words she had said to him earlier.

As he climbed into the bed beside her and switched off the lamp, she stirred slightly. "Mmm, you smell nice."

"Shower-gel," Jed whispered.

"You okay?" she murmured.

He buried his face against her soft hair and slipped his arm round her, smiling as she automatically eased herself against him.

"Yeah," he whispered. "Right now, I'm just fine…"

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

The following day was Sunday, and they drove around the bay and into Galway City, to go to Mass in the Cathedral. They had decided that they would be less conspicuous there than in a small village church and they deliberately dressed down too, Jed in beige chinos and sweater under his navy fleece jacket and Abbey in a casual dark green woollen pant suit.

Although the Cathedral only dated from the 1960's – "and was built on the site of the old city jail," Jed commented wryly to Abbey as they approached the church with its impressive copper dome – the interior was traditionally styled and they slipped into one of the dark mahogany pews near the back. As they waited for the service to start, Jed's eyes took in the Romanesque-style arches and pillars, the stained glass windows, the mosaic of the Crucifixion behind the altar and the marble statues representing the Stations of the Cross all around the walls.

"It's much more homely than National Cathedral, isn't it?" Abbey whispered to him. Jed nodded, thinking for a fleeting moment of the Gothic majesty, the long aisle and lofty arches of the cathedral in Washington, before his mind suddenly went back to the small church in New Hampshire where he had first found his faith – his mother's faith. While his father – no, he corrected himself quickly – while John Bartlet, in his role of Headmaster, had attended the Sunday morning service in the school chapel, he had been allowed – at least until he became a student at the school – to go to the service at the Catholic church with his mother on Sundays. He'd taken his First Communion when he was eight, become an altar boy and learned to love the ritual of the Mass. With his mother's help, and Father Tom's guidance, his childish fascination with the Old Testament heroes had gradually evolved into an understanding of the message of the New Testament and eventually to the deep personal faith that still sustained him.

Still thinking about that small church, he stood automatically for the processional hymn. When it ended, his mind as always replaced the Bishop's modern welcome with the words of the old Latin Mass – '_Introibo ad altare Dei, ad Deum Qui laetificat juventutem meam_' – 'I will go up to the altar of the Lord, the Lord who gives joy to my youth.'

'But there wasn't much joy when I told him that I wanted to continue going to the Catholic church,' Jed thought and his forehead creased into a frown. In his mind's eye, he could still see the scene – his father standing there so tall, his mother looking on, and the twelve year old boy saying, more steadily than he actually felt, "I don't want to stop attending St Catherine's, sir."

"Josiah, you are about to become a student in my school – and all students attend the service in the school chapel on Sunday morning. Besides which, you are a Bartlet and the Bartlets are _not _Catholic," his father had said firmly, as if that was all there was to it.

"John, Jed is old enough now to make his own decision – and this is what he wants," his mother had said, quietly but firmly. That was one of the times when he had seen that spark of determination in her blue eyes, when she had stood up to her husband. "If you wish, he'll attend the service in the school chapel, but he still wants to go to St Catherine's and he can still go to the early morning Mass there."

"Stay out of this, Annie," John had said. "I've never objected to you continuing to go to your church, I've even put up with all that silly nonsense about First Communion and altar boy, whatever that means. But it's time now that Jed grew up and remembered that he is a Bartlet."

His mother had stood her ground. "Aye – and he's also _my_ son."

Involuntarily Jed's hands tightened on the back of the pew in front of him and the Bishop's intonation of the Eucharistic Prayer seemed to fade into the distance. There it was again, the clue that he couldn't possibly have understood at the time. 'And he's also my son' – was that a reminder to John of the one fact that he could never forget? And had she been right to remind him that I was Eddy's son and not his?

Jed shook his head slightly, causing Abbey to glance round at him, but he was so locked in the past that he was only vaguely aware of her. Instead his mind ran on, remembering how he had looked from one to the other in the silence that had ensued, until finally John had said, "I think you'd better leave Jed and me to have a talk, Annie."

"Very well, but ye won't change his mind, John," she'd said and Jed remembered the encouraging smile she had given him before she went out of the room. He'd talked to her a lot about it all and knew that she understood. So he'd smiled back, but as the door closed, John had said angrily, "And you can take that stupid grin off your face, Jed. I'm well aware that your mother has put you up to this."

"No, sir," he'd replied, turning back to his father. "No, she hasn't. It's what I want. I understand the Catholic faith and I want to continue as a Catholic. I've thought about it a lot, I've read a lot too, I've talked to Mom and to Father Tom – and I know that Catholicism is right for me."

And even as I said it, Jed thought, I knew what would happen. It was his reaction every time I disagreed with him about something. He winced as he felt again that stinging slap and quickly he tried to switch off his thoughts – to return to the service that had continued without him. But then suddenly, from somewhere in the depths of his mind, came the memory of what he had overheard later. He'd been sitting on his bed, one hand held against his face as if that would somehow take the pain away, when he'd heard the raised voices from the room below.

First John's voice – "Do you really think that you need to remind me, when every time I look at him–"

Then hers – "So accept it, John – accept that he's different from you–"

"By that, you mean smarter, more intelligent – and destined for great things?" John had replied sarcastically.

"Aye, he is," his mother had replied firmly. "He _will_ achieve great things, John – Jed has the same determination, the same passion, the same idealism inside him – and those things will take him places that you and I can't even conceive of. But if ye carry on fighting him, he's going to end up hating you – and I don't want that."

Jed looked down, his eyes closing as the congregation began to recite the Lord's Prayer. 'How can I join in with this?' he thought in sudden anguish. 'How can I say it – when I know she was right? I _did_ start hating him–"

'_Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us…_' The words went round and round in his head until Abbey suddenly put her hand on his. 'Peace, Jed,' she said softly. He looked round at her quickly, and realised that they had reached the sign of the peace. Forcing himself back to the present, he responded as people nearby offered the handshake of peace. The Bishop too came up the aisle, shaking hands as he did so, and Jed saw the startled look on his face as he reached them.

"I think he recognised us," Abbey whispered after the Bishop had returned to the altar again.

Jed nodded almost abstractedly, listening now to the consecration of the bread and wine, the moment that had always awed him with its sacred mystery. But, as the congregation started to go up to the altar for communion, he found himself wondering how he could go up there with all the confusion inside him.

"Jed?" Abbey nudged him as the steward reached their pew.

Jed drew in a deep breath. "Okay," he said.

Even when he reached the marble altar rail, he still wasn't sure – but as he knelt, his hands went out automatically. "God forgive me," he thought inwardly, "I really did try to respect him because I thought he was my father. But now that I know he wasn't – oh God, just help me, please."

The familiar bread and wine had a calming effect on him, and when he got back to the pew, he knelt there, his hands covering his face, not praying but just letting the calmness wash over him. It was only when Abbey put her hand gently on his shoulder that he realised that they had reached the end of the service.

"Go in peace to love and serve the Lord."

"Thanks be to God," Jed said softly, and lifted himself back to the pew again.

After a few moments, Abbey looked at him. "What happened, Jed?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," Jed said, looking at her for the first time.

"You were miles away."

"Yes, I was."

"You okay?"

"Yeah." He drew in a deep breath and then gave her his quick smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Together they walked to the door of the cathedral, where the Bishop was shaking hands with each member of the congregation. As Jed approached him, the Bishop smiled. "It's a great honour and pleasure to meet you again, sir."

Jed took the proffered hand and frowned slightly. "I'm sorry – we've met before?"

"You won't remember me – but yes, it was about four years ago when you were on a State visit to Dublin, yourself and Mrs Bartlet."

Jed remembered the visit and nodded with a smile. "Yes – yes, I do remember now – the service at St Mary's wasn't it? Good to meet you again, Your Grace. But – er – well, we were rather hoping that no-one would actually recognise us!" he went on with a short laugh. "We're just here for a few days on a private visit."

"Some well needed R and R after your eight years in the White House? Rest assured, Mr President, I'll tell no-one – and I sincerely hope that you'll enjoy your visit here. Mrs Bartlet, as always a delight to meet you."

"It was a lovely service, Your Grace, thank you,"

As they walked away from the cathedral and headed towards the bridge over the River Corrib, Jed looked round at Abbey. "Whoa, that was a close one – but I guess he's probably the only one who's actually met us before."

"I knew he'd recognised us when we were inside."

"Just hope no-one else does then! Maybe we were chancing it coming into the city?"

Abbey shrugged. "No, they'll just think we look like someone they know, I bet."

"Okay, so where to now?"

Abbey stopped and turned to lean on the stone wall overlooking the river. "Aren't you gonna tell me where you went to during that service?"

Jed hesitated, leant on the wall too and then shook his head. "It was just a flashback, Abbey – it doesn't really matter."

"I think it does. You've had a lot to face up to since yesterday and it worries me that you're in denial."

"I'm not, Abbey, honestly I'm not. I'm still trying to sort it all out. But I guess it's gonna take time. Can you leave it with me for now?"

"Okay, babe."

She put out her hand to take his and he gripped it tightly as they continued across the bridge. But she knew that, because of what had happened to him in the Cathedral, he had closed himself down yet again. And she knew him well enough to realise that he would keep doing that until somehow she could find a way to persuade him to face it all.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

From the bridge they walked along a couple of streets and soon found themselves in the main square in the city centre where the park had been renamed after John F Kennedy in the 1970's.

"He was here just five months before he was assassinated," Jed commented as they looked at the memorial with its bronze sculpture of Kennedy's head. "June 1963 – it was here that he said "Though other days may not be so bright as we look toward the future, the brightest days will continue to be those in which we visited you here in Ireland." He chuckled. "I guess Toby or Sam could have phrased that better! And when he was in Limerick the same day, he said he would come back again in the springtime – but of course that never happened."

As they walked back towards the main shopping street, Jed pointed to the strange looking copper sculpture and fountain at the side of the square. "That's the Galway Hooker."

"The _what_?" Abbey's eyebrows shot up.

Jed laughed. "No, not _that_ kind of hooker! It's supposed to represent the sails of the traditional Galway fishing boat."

"Why were they called hookers? Because they were used to hook the fish?"

Jed nodded. "Could be. It's generally agreed that the word comes from the Dutch, but no-one knows which word – whether it's hoeker which means hook and line fishing, or howker which means a small vessel."

Abbey nodded then glanced up at the row of flags with coats of arms on them that stood along the edge of the park. "These flags have the same names on them as all the traffic circles that we passed on the way into the city."

Jed too looked up at the colourful flags. "That's true." He did a quick count. "Fourteen – so they must be the Fourteen Tribes of Galway – the merchant families who dominated the city in the Middle Ages."

Abbey looked at him curiously. "Jed, how come you know things like this? You can't have had the time to research it all when you were in the White House."

"No, I found a few leaflets about Galway in the dresser at the cottage and read them this morning – your 'getting-ready-to-go-out' time always gives me a useful gap in my schedule."

"You don't have a schedule right now."

"I did this morning – my schedule was trying to get you out of the door in time for church at eleven o'clock today, rather than Tuesday next week."

"Very funny," Abbey commented dryly, then went on, "So what else did you learn in the – um – useful gap I provided for you then?"

Jed shot her an amused look. "You want the whole history of Galway City?"

"I'd rather have some lunch!"

"Okay"

As they turned from the square into the main shopping street, they were accosted by a group of students, holding out collecting cans for a famine appeal.

After dropping some coins into one of the cans, Jed said, "They must be at NUI Galway."

"NUI?"

"National University of Ireland. It has 4 campuses – Dublin, Cork, Maynooth and Galway. A guy I knew in London years ago – Alan Bremner, you probably don't remember him now – became Economics Professor at Dublin, and then moved to Galway. I used to call him quite a lot when I was in Congress, and when I was Governor too – what that man didn't know about behavioural finance was not worth knowing."

"Is he still here?"

"Probably – I remember him saying that they'd moved to Galway because his daughter was living here, and he wanted to be near his grandkids."

"Why don't you call him?"

"No idea of his number – anyway, he may have retired by now."

"Excuse me," Abbey stopped in front of one of the students who was rattling a collection can. "Do you know if Professor Bremner is still teaching at the University? Economics," she added.

The student shook her head. "Sorry – don't know the Economics Department – I'm doing English Lit. But James over there is an economist so he would know."

Abbey went across and repeated her question to the young man. "Yes," he replied, "Professor Bremner's one of my lecturers – brilliant man," he added, then, "Er – don't I know you from somewhere?"

"I don't think so – but thanks," Abbey said with a smile. "So okay," she continued to Jed, "all you need do is get the University number and they'll put you through."

Jed grinned at her. "You think of everything, don't you?"

"Of course!" Abbey said lightly.

They reached Quay Street – a narrow street lined with shops, restaurants and pubs, and stopped at a coffee shop for a toasted sandwich and cappuccino. Walking on, they reached Claddagh, the small fishing port at the mouth of the River Corrib, where it flowed into Galway Bay. Hand-in-hand, they strolled through the Spanish Arch and along the quayside, admiring the attractive colour-washed stone cottages that lined the quay and stopping to watch the dozens of swans and sea-birds that thronged the small harbour.

Retracing their steps towards the Wolfe Tone Bridge, they paused at a stone memorial. "On these shores," Jed read from the carved stone, "around 1477 the Genoese sailor Cristoforo Colombo found sure signs of land beyond the Atlantic."

"Columbus came to Galway?" Abbey asked in surprise.

"So they say – _and _discovered signs of land across the Atlantic."

"A styrene fast food tray floated in on the tide?" Abbey suggested. "Or was it an empty can of Bud?"

"Cynic!" Jed scoffed. "In one of his books – I think it was D'Ailly's 'Imago Mundi' – he wrote a note in the margin saying something like 'Off Galway, men of Cathay float in tree trunks.'"

"Tree trunks? Seems like an awful long way to float from Cathay to Galway in tree trunks."

Jed grinned. "Sure does."

"So where the hell did he think Cathay was? Just around the corner?"

"A slight misjudgement of distance – and of course he didn't know that America was in the way!"

"What a jackass!"

Jed laughed as he caught hold of her hand again and they walked along the riverside path that led back towards the cathedral and the parking lot where they had left the car.

"Shall we drive along the coast for a short way?" he asked as he started up the engine.

"Sure, if you're happy about driving?"

"Hey, come on, I got us here, didn't I? And negotiated all those traffic circles on the way in – oh, I mean roundabouts, don't I?"

"You did well," Abbey laughed. "I didn't have to shut my eyes at all today!"

"Maybe every American who comes to Ireland should be made to drive around Galway City's ring road as a crash course in how to negotiate left-hand roundabouts."

"I'm not sure that 'crash course' is entirely appropriate in this context!"

Jed laughed. "You're right there. Okay," he said as they reached some traffic lights, "so if I turn left here, I think it'll take us down to the coast road."

A few minutes later they were safely on the coast road, driving west out of the city, past the beach resort of Salthill and then out through smaller villages which seemed to be catering for the tourist trade with small hotels and holiday cottages. Only when the coast road finally turned inland and started to climb did they reach a raw and wilder area of heathland with limestone outcrops and just the occasional thatched cottage.

"It's so different, isn't it?" Abbey commented.

"From what?"

"Well, even from the area where we were yesterday – that was all fields and farmland, and yet it's probably only about twenty or thirty miles from here. In the States you can go for hundreds of miles and the scenery hardly changes, especially in the mid-west. But here, it seems to change every few miles."

"And now you've got the Connemara mountains ahead," Jed replied, nodding his head towards the rugged line of hills. "Those are the Twelve Bens."

Abbey's eyes took in the sweep of the dramatic landscape ahead, then looked back over her shoulder. "Jed, can you pull over up there?"

"Why?"

"Because you need to see the view behind us too."

"Okay."

Jed stopped the car on a stony verge at the side of the road, and they both got out of the car. At this height, there was quite a strong wind blowing and Abbey had to keep brushing her hair back from her face as she turned to look back at the view across the bay. Over to their right were the dark shapes of the Aran Islands, ahead of them they could see the undulating outline of the Burren plateau, and to their left the land gradually flattened out towards the eastern extremity of the bay.

"Galway Bay," Jed breathed, almost reverently. "I don't think I've ever felt about a place like I'm feeling right now."

Abbey glanced round at him. "It's in your blood, Jed," she said quietly.

"Yeah." He looked quickly at her. "Mind if I go across to that small rise over there?"

Abbey watched him as he stepped on the limestone slabs until he reached a low rocky outcrop. For a few minutes he stood there, silhouetted against the sky, his thick hair blowing in the wind, his hands thrust into his pockets. Slowly his head turned, his eyes taking in the full panorama of the bay, and she knew, almost as if he was saying it out loud, that he was thinking about his mother and Eddy Bartlet.

'And now – if I can work it right – I know just how I can go back to Ballykane to find out more,' she thought, and felt her heart quicken at the same time.

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

The following morning she went outside the cottage to use her cell phone, then came back in and handed a piece of paper to Jed. "That's the number," she said.

Jed was reading the morning newspaper that one of the agents had brought up to the cottage. He looked at her over his glasses. "What number?"

"NUI, Galway."

"Okay, thanks."

"Give them a call."

Jed frowned slightly. "Abbey, why are you doing this?"

"What?"

"Handling me."

"Am I?"

"Yeah. You're pushing me to contact Alan again. Why?"

"Because he's an old friend – because he's here, and you're here too."

"Is that it?"

"Yeah. Well, maybe not completely–"

"Go on."

Abbey looked at him. "I just thought that you needed some time out to meet with an old friend and – well, okay, talk to him about whatever it is that you economists talk about to each other."

"You're handling me," Jed said dryly. "And now I'm trying to work out why – and it's either to distract me from the events of the other day – or because you think that I'm getting withdrawal symptoms and that I need some deep intellectual discussion to get me back on track again."

"You always did analyse things too much, Jed. Just go make the call."

After he'd gone outside with the cell phone, Abbey felt a momentary sense of guilt, knowing that she hadn't been totally honest with him. But there was no way that she could tell him – or that he could even guess – that she had homed in on the thought of him meeting up with an old friend because it would give her the chance to go back to Ballykane and meet with Mary Cavanagh.

Jed's face was alight when he came back into the cottage. "Hey, that was great – they put me straight through to Alan – and it was just as if we had last talked a couple of days ago!"

"You gonna meet up then?"

Jed looked at her. "Well, he doesn't have any classes this afternoon – and I did say that we could go back to Galway City today. Is that okay with you?"

"You want me to sit in on a discussion about economics?"

"Not your scene, huh?"

"Do you need to ask? No, it's okay, Jed – you go. I'm fine – anyway, I need some time to – you know – do my own thing."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

As soon as Jed had left that afternoon, with one of the agents accompanying him, Abbey made her way across to the cottage where the agents were quartered.

"Mrs Bartlet – can I help you?" Charlie said as he opened the door.

"Yes, you can, Charlie," Abbey replied. "I need you to drive me to Ballykane please."

"Of course, ma'am."

On the way Charlie glanced round at his passenger. "Can I ask why you want to go there again, ma'am?"

"I need to see someone," Abbey replied.

"You want me to come with you?"

"No," Abbey said. "But I do need your skills in tracking down someone that I met there the other day."

"Who?"

"There was a young man working outside the church, he's the grandson of a lady called Mary Cavanagh and I'd like to find him again."

"I'll do my best."

"Thanks, Charlie."

When they reached Ballykane, Charlie parked up in the main street. "If you stay here for a few minutes, ma'am, I'll see what I can find out."

"Okay."

Abbey strained round to look at the stone cottage next to the Post Office. Where Mary Cavanagh had lived for all of her life – where Abbey was hoping almost beyond hope that she would find some of the answers.

It was only a few minutes before Charlie returned to the car. "I think I got it, ma'am. The young man who usually looks after the church grounds is called Rory Cavanagh and he works at the local garage – that's gas station to you and me."

"Let's go then."

Charlie drove the short distance to the gas station at the far end of the main street, and as he pulled up, Abbey saw the young man that she had talked to outside the church. "That's him."

She opened the door and stepped out "Hello again," she said with a smile.

The young man was startled for a moment, then recognised her. "Ye was here a coupla days ago."

"Yes, that's right – and you told me all about your grandmother and her stories."

"Aye, I remember that."

"Well, Rory – it is Rory, isn't it? – I read the book with her stories about the town – and I would just love to meet her."

Rory's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really?"

"Yes, really – but I didn't want to knock on her door without an introduction, so could you possibly get some time out to take me to visit with her?"

"Aye, I can do that. I'll just let my Da know where I'm going."

Abbey turned back to the car. "We'll walk now – so you're off duty, Charlie," she said to him through the open window.

"You got your–?"

"Of course. Could you meet me outside the Post Office in about an hour?"

"No problem, ma'am."

As Abbey walked up the main street with Rory, she could feel the tension increasing inside her. Okay, she thought, this might be a fool's errand, but it was something she'd known she just had to do after meeting Rory two days before.

They reached the cottage and Rory produced a key and opened the door. 'Gran'ma!" he called. "I've brought you a visitor."

"Who's that then, Rory?"

A white haired lady with a round face and alert blue eyes came through from the kitchen into the narrow hallway.

Abbey smiled and held out her hand. "Hello, Mrs Cavanagh, I'm Abbey." Deliberately she did not add 'Bartlet' – there was time enough for that later.

"Well, come in, m'dear, ye're very welcome. Would you like a cuppa tea?"

"I'll do that," Rory said. "You go talk together."

Abbey followed Mrs Cavanagh into the front room of the cottage, obviously the 'best' room of the house that was kept for visitors – with two well-stuffed armchairs either side of the old-fashioned hearth, and a low couch piled with patchwork cushions.

"Sit ye'self down, m'dear, I don't get a lot of visitors these days."

Abbey sat down in one of the armchairs. "Mrs Cavanagh–"

Mrs Cavanagh sat down opposite her. "Call me Mary, everyone does."

"Okay – Mary – I read the book about the town and your stories about the past, and I thought they were so interesting."

"Aye, well, I just told them the t'ings I remembered."

For a few minutes they chatted about some of the stories in the book. Then Abbey drew in a quick breath. "Mary–" she hesitated for a second, "you've probably guessed already that I'm American? My surname – my husband's surname – is Bartlet. Does that mean anything to you?"

The old lady looked at her. "Bartlet? The same as the President?"

Abbey decided it was time to come clean. She nodded. "Yes, exactly the same – my husband is – was – President Bartlet."

Mary was clearly taken aback. "Ye're the wife of the President of America?"

Abbey smiled. "The former President," she corrected her.

Mary was still staring at her. "But that means ye're the First Lady!"

"Mary," Abbey said gently, "I _was_ the First Lady, but right now I'm just Abbey Bartlet, and I'm trying to find out about my husband's mother who lived in Ballykane – and I think you may have known her."

Rory came into the room carrying a tray with teapot and cups.

"Rory, did ye know that this lady was–"

Abbey stopped her. "No, that's just between you and me, Mary. Thanks, Rory," she said as the young man poured the tea and handed her a china cup.

"Get outa here, Rory," the old lady said briskly. "Me and – er, Abbey – we got things to talk about here."

As Rory closed the door, Mary looked across at Abbey again. "So ye're Josiah Bartlet's wife?"

"I call him Jed."

"Jed – Josiah Edward – t'at's what Annie said she would call him." Mary looked straight across at her.

"So you know?"

"Aye, I've known ever since he became President. I knew t'at he was Annie's son."

"And you've said nothing?"

"Not my place. I mentioned it to the family once but they t'ought I was ramblin', makin' it up. People don't pay much heed to old folk these days."

"So can you tell me about Annie Egan and Eddy Bartlet?"

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

It was getting dark when Charlie stopped the car outside the cottage. "Thanks, Charlie."

"My pleasure, ma'am."

Abbey steadied herself as she made her way to the door. Her heart had quickened a little when she had seen the silver-grey car parked up outside and knew that Jed was back. He would want to know where she had been, and she knew that she would have to make him to listen to her – now and not later. She drew in a deep breath.

"Hello gumdrop!" she called brightly as she went in. "How was your meeting with Alan?"

Jed lifted his head from his book and looked at her over his glasses. "Good." Then "Where have you been?"

"Didn't you see my note?"

He inclined his head slightly to the note she had left on the table. "'Gone Fishing – with Charlie' – what the hell was I supposed to make of that?"

"That I'd gone fishing with Charlie?" Abbey said lightly.

"You hate fishing!"

"Yeah, you're right. So okay, I didn't go fishing – but I didn't want you to be worried if you were back here before me."

"So where _have_ you been?"

Abbey started to take off her jacket so as to avoid his eyes for the moment. "I've been to Ballykane."

Jed's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"To see someone."

"Oh." Jed looked down again at his book.

Abbey dropped her jacket on the back of a chair and looked across at him. "Is that all you're gonna say?"

He didn't look up. "What d'you want me to say?" Abbey hesitated and he went on, "Yeah, okay, you want me to ask who you've been to see – and then no doubt you're gonna embark on some more gut-wrenching revelations." He slammed his book shut, flung it on the couch, took off his glasses and looked up at her. "So maybe my answer shouldn't just have been 'Oh', maybe it should have been 'No'. _No_, I don't want to know who you've been to see – _no_, I don't want to know about any more family skeletons – and in case you didn't get the message the first time, _no_, I don't want to talk about it."

Abbey had to force herself not to retaliate in the same tone. This wasn't something that they should be fighting about. So instead she said quietly "And I don't want you to push it all to the back of your mind and not even think about it."

Jed was still irritated. "I didn't say that. I said that I don't want to talk about it – because I can't do that until I've done some thinking about it – and I haven't had any time to do that yet."

Abbey looked at him steadily. "Yes, you have Jed – you've had time, maybe not enough time yet to sort it all out in your mind – but you're never gonna do that when you're forcing yourself _not_ to think about any of it."

"I'm not doing that."

She sighed. "Yes you are. Do you think I don't know you after thirty eight years of marriage? Do you think I can't tell that you're fighting yourself at the moment? I could tell during the last eight years when I was only with you for a few hours each day, and often not even that – so do you really think that I can't tell when I've been with you 24/7 for the last few days?"

"So you're adding mind-reading to your skills now, are you?" The glimmer of a smile softened Jed's tight mouth for a moment.

"No, it's called woman's intuition – it's called a _wife's_ intuition. And if you don't believe me, I can tell you exactly the times when you forced yourself to stop thinking about it all."

Jed leant back against the couch and rolled his eyes. "Well, you're gonna tell me anyhow – so carry on."

"Okay – well, okay then–" Abbey drew in her breath and thought for a few seconds. "You did it when we left that bench at the top of the hill – you did it when you came out of the church – you did it as we drove out of Ballykane – you did it when we got back here that evening–"

"Hey, hold on, I think that _you_ might have had something to do with that time," Jed interrupted, looking at her under his eyelashes in mock reproach.

Abbey's mouth twitched slightly. "Well, yes, I might–" then she stopped. "No, it had already happened – it happened when you closed your book and stood up."

Jed nodded slowly, remembering. "Yeah – it did – how in heavens' name did you know that?"

Abbey gave him a small smile. "Intuition? Do you want any more times?"

"I think you've made your point."

"That you _are_ forcing yourself not to think about it?"

"Maybe." Jed shrugged then stood up, put his hands in his pockets and walked across to the window. He stood looking out into the fading daylight for a few minutes. "Well, no, not exactly – I did try that night, you know – when I stayed in here while you went to bed – I was trying to remember anything I might ever have known about Eddy Bartlet."

"And did you remember anything?"

He shook his head. "Not really. I couldn't even see the photo clearly in my mind. But I did remember asking my grandfather about the photo – and he told me about Eddy. He even gave me the clue. I asked him if Eddy was my uncle, like my uncle Steve. 'No' he said, 'he died – so he's not your uncle.' I'd forgotten his exact words until my mind replayed them the other night."

"What else did he say?"

"Not much, just about Eddy's sub being lost. My Dad came in and told him not to dwell on the past. And then–"

Jed stopped and Abbey watched him. "And then what, Jed?" she asked quietly. "What happened?"

Jed turned to her, his eyes suddenly wary. "My God, you really can read me, can't you?"

"He hit you, didn't he?"

Jed's eyes met hers and he nodded.

"And now you're in switch-off mode again," she said.

Jed held up his hands. "Abbey, I can't revisit all that, I really can't – you know I can't – and anyway, there's no point, it was a long time ago – there really is no point."

"What you mean is that it's too painful."

Jed opened his mouth to reply, then let his breath out. "Yeah, okay," he acknowledged briefly.

Abbey hesitated. "So what about happier memories, Jed? Could you revisit those?"

"What d'you mean?"

"The other day you said 'Too many unanswered questions' about your mother and Eddy Bartlet. So what if some of those questions could be answered?"

"I'm not sure that I really want to know the answers."

"I think you do. I think you _need _to know them. I think you _need_ to know about your mother and Eddy."

"And you're gonna tell me?"

"No – your mother's gonna tell you."

Jed frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Abbey reached for her jacket pocket – for the letter that Mary Cavanagh had given to her. "Keep it, m' dear," she had said. "I don't need it anymore – and it's going to be very important to y'r husband, isn't it?"

She brought out the folded sheets of notepaper. "I think you need to read this – but you need to sit down first, Jed."

Jed looked at her doubtfully as he moved back towards the couch. "Is it bad?"

Abbey smiled. "No, Jed, it's good – I promise you–"

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

Jed sat down on the couch and put his glasses on, then unfolded the sheets of blue notepaper that Abbey handed to him. His heart jumped a little as he recognised his mother's handwriting and then he looked at the date at the top '12 October 1946, Manchester NH'.

He read on:

_Dear Mary_

_I'm sorry it has taken me so long to write to you, but such a lot has happened since I got here._

_The voyage was fine – no storms, no icebergs! – and Eddy was there waiting for me when we got to New York. He had a week's shore leave, so first we had two days in New York – what an amazing city it is, hope that you got my postcard? I was quite scared at first because it was so busy and there was so much traffic. But we had a wonderful time – Eddy showed me all the sights, like the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building, and we walked around Central Park with our arms round each other, and it was so good, just being with him again._

_And he was so excited about the baby, Mary! He took me into one of the big stores – Macy's, it was the biggest shop I've ever seen – and we bought lots of baby clothes. And he said he'd told his parents all about me and about the baby too and they were fine about it all. So that made me feel a bit less scared about meeting them._

_Then we drove to their farm in New Hampshire, it took nearly all day to get there. And his parents were so lovely. The first thing his father (I call him Dad now) said to me was 'Welcome to the Bartlet family, Annie' – wasn't that nice? We only had three more days before Eddy had to go back to Groton to join his sub, but he took me all round everywhere, showing me where he'd been at school and where he used to go fishing as a boy, and even the hill where he'd come off his bike and broken his arm. And we started making plans for the wedding too, on his next shore leave._

_When he left, it all seemed a bit strange and I started to feel very homesick. But the family were very kind, they really looked after me, and Eddy's brother, John, came home from college and he started taking me places, like over to the seaside (they just call it the 'beach' here) and even down to Boston one day._

_And then we got the news and it was John who came to tell me. I was down in the orchard, and I knew as soon as I saw him that something really bad had happened. Anyway, he told me that Eddy's sub was lost, somewhere in the China Sea, when there had been a big storm. I didn't understand at first, I remember saying 'But Eddy's all right, isn't he?' And John just looked at me and shook his head and said that they were all lost and that Eddy was dead. And of course he was upset too, because Eddy was his big brother. And we both just stood there in the orchard, with our arms round each other, and I just cried and cried._

_Well, after that I was in a daze, I didn't know what I was going to do. I'd almost made up my mind to come back to Ballykane but then one day Dad came to me and said, "Annie, don't worry, we'll look after you. That child growing inside you is a Bartlet, so you'll always be part of our family." So I decided to stay, because I really want my child to be born as an American and to have all the advantages of being a Bartlet, instead of being raised in a small poor Irish village._

_And, as it was the summer vacation, John was there, and we started spending more time together. In a way we were comforting each other. And then one night we were sitting on the porch, and he asked me to marry him. He said he knew he wasn't Eddy, but that he loved me and wanted to take care of me. And a few days later, after I'd thought about it all, I said yes. So I'm a married lady now, Mary – we just had a quiet wedding at the farm at the end of September. I think I've done the right thing. John cares a lot about me, and even though I don't love him in the same way that I still love Eddy – and he understands that – I do feel a kind of love for him._

_John's got his first job – teaching at a school in the town, which means that I can stay on here at the farm until the baby's born. But we're looking for a house in the town, and then we can be a real family._

_Only 2 more months to go – the baby's due the middle of December, as you know, and I'm getting really big now! I'm sure it's going to be a boy – and the family say that if it is, I have to call him Josiah – after his ancestor who was Governor of New Hampshire and who signed the Declaration of Independence. But I'm going to have my own way too, Mary – his second name's going to be Edward, because for me he'll always be part of my Eddy. Josiah Edward Bartlet – what do you think of that then?_

_I'll write again soon – and you let me know how things are in Ballykane, won't you – and how my Da is?_

_Your loving friend Annie._

As he reached the end of the letter, Jed swallowed hard and then stared down at it for a long time, even though the words became blurred as his eyes filled.

Abbey had been standing watching him as he read the letter. She'd seen his frown soften into a small smile at one point, and then his face had stilled as he had continued to read. Now her heart seemed to twist inside her as she watched him struggling with his emotions.

"Has it helped?" Abbey asked quietly.

Jed took off his glasses, and looked up at her, managing a small smile. "Yeah," he said. "At least now I know that they – that they really were in love with each–" His voice choked and he looked down again, covering his face with his hand. Abbey moved across to him and bent forward to kiss the top of his head gently, then sat down beside him, her hand resting on his knee, waiting until he was ready to talk about it…

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Eventually he looked round at her. "I don't know where to begin," he said shaking his head slightly as he rubbed the back of his hand against his damp cheeks.

"Which part of the letter made you smile?" she asked.

"What?"

"You were smiling when you read part of it."

"Oh – yeah, it was that bit about Macy's. It reminded me of when I took you to wherever it was in London the day after it was confirmed that you were pregnant with Liz."

"Harrod's."

"That's the one. I guess I was just as excited as Eddy was–" Then he stopped and let out a sudden sigh of frustration. "Why?" he asked, almost harshly. "For God's sake, _why_ did she never tell me?"

"Jed, don't be angry with her," Abbey said gently. "It was a different generation, they didn't talk about things like that – least of all to a teenage son. But you always knew that she loved you, didn't you?"

Jed nodded and his eyes softened. "Yeah – always. She was my rock, the one stable thing in my life when – well, when I got so confused by the other thing. She was always so calm, so supportive – so proud of everything that I did – even the silly drawings I brought home from school when I was in first grade–" he smiled to himself at the memory "–and the first time I served as an altar boy – and when I got chosen for the sixth grade basketball team–"

"And when you graduated at Notre Dame," Abbey added. "She was so proud of you that day, Jed – I still remember how her face just shone with pride and love, it brought tears to my eyes." She didn't add that she also remembered how it had been in total contrast to the cold and aloof look on John Bartlet's face.

Jed looked at her. "You know, the only times she stood up to my – to him – were when she was supporting or defending me." His voice dropped to a whisper. "And all the time it was because I was Eddy's son and she'd loved him so much – and I never knew."

Abbey watched him as his lips tightened and he blinked a few times. Then he heaved a sigh, stood up and took a couple of steps towards the hearth. He put his hand up to the thick wooden beam over the fire alcove and leant his head against it. "I wouldn't have expected her to tell me all about her love affair," he said wearily, "but why – why – _why_ did she never tell me that Eddy was my father?"

"I don't know, Jed, "Abbey said simply. "Maybe – well, maybe she was just sworn to secrecy?"

Jed thought for a few moments then nodded slowly. "That figures, I guess." He paused and then looked round at her and frowned as he shook his head. "No, it doesn't really. Why should he want to keep it a secret? Did he resent me just because I was Eddy's son and not his? But it wasn't as if he couldn't – well, they had Jonathan–" He stopped suddenly. "You know, when we in the Cathedral yesterday, I remembered something I once overheard – something I'd totally forgotten about."

"You want to tell me?"

He shrugged slightly. "It wasn't much really, at least not at the time, because I didn't understand it – but I've been thinking about it ever since–" Briefly he told her of the argument he'd overheard, then shrugged again. "Like I said, it wasn't much–"

Abbey jumped up and moved across to him, and her hand gripped his arm. "Jed, for heavens' sake, it was _everything_!"

"What d'you mean?"

"Don't you see? Eddy was the smart one, the successful one – your grandfather told you that – and John had probably lived his whole life in his older brother's shadow. And Mary said that Eddy had the sort of magnetism that made him the centre of every room he walked into."

Jed frowned. "Mary? You mean the Mary that the letter was addressed to?"

"Yes – Mary Cavanagh – your mother's best friend – the one I went to see in Ballykane this afternoon. She was with your Mom when she first met Eddy. And when she described him – well, she could have been describing you, Jed."

"But everyone says I look like my mother."

"I don't mean in looks, I mean in personality and character. That's what you've inherited from Eddy – what was it you just said that your Mom said? – the same determination, the same passion, the same idealism? Don't you get it, Jed? It wasn't just that you were Eddy's son and not his – it was because you were the permanent reminder to John Bartlet of the older brother that he could never hope to emulate – and that's why he resented you so much."

Jed was silent for a few moments as he let Abbey's words sink in. Then the echo of another voice came into his head. "He didn't like you. You were smarter than he was," he said aloud.

"What?"

"Toby said that to me once. I nearly threw him out of the Oval that night. 'He hit you because you made him mad but you didn't know why,' he said. 'He didn't like you. That's why he hit you.'" Jed shook his head a little. "Oh Toby, Toby – I really should have listened to you, shouldn't I?"

"Yeah, I guess you should."

Jed shrugged and sighed. "So there it is then – I made him mad because he didn't like me, because I was too much like Eddy." He stopped for a moment and then went on, "Stanley Keyworth once told me that I'd never get my father to like me. He was right about that too, wasn't he?"

Abbey nodded. "Yes, he was. John must have had too much built-in resentment, too much jealousy of Eddy."

"So where do we go from here?"

"You've come a long way already, Jed."

"I have?"

Abbey frowned slightly. "Jed, you've spent your whole life not understanding why your father didn't like you – and now you've been given the answer to that. Can you not accept it as it is?"

Jed sighed. "I don't know. I guess I'm still trying to get my head around the fact that the man that I thought was my father wasn't my father at all. And I'm still trying to work out just what my feelings are now about him. God, Abbey, I've spent most of my life forcing myself to respect him _because_ he was my father. And now I feel angry–" He thumped his fist against the fire alcove in sudden frustration.

"Because no-one told you that he wasn't your real father?"

"Yesss!" Jed exclaimed, then took a deep breath, let it out in a sigh and went on quietly, and almost sadly, "–and I feel cheated too, because I never knew my real father and now there's no-one left who can tell me about him."

Abbey hesitated then said, "Come with me to Ballykane tomorrow then, Jed, and meet with Mary Cavanagh. Because _she_ can tell you about him. She told me a lot more – but I think you need to hear it from her, not from me."

Jed looked at her for a long time. "Okay," he said finally, then, "Come here, Abbey."

Wearily, he put his arms round her and held her, his face resting against her hair. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I really wanted this to be a happy time for us – but it's all gone wrong, hasn't it?"

"We'll get through it, Jed, we'll sort it out somehow."

Jed gave her a wan smile. "I love you," he whispered.

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

The following afternoon, Jed pulled the car to a standstill on Ballykane's main street again. He looked round at Abbey, frowning doubtfully. "Are you sure about all this?"

"Absolutely. C'mon, Jed, I've already told you that Mary was fine about it when I called her this morning. She's expecting us."

"Okay."

They got out the car and walked along the street to the stone cottage, but even before they'd had chance to knock, the door opened.

"I saw ye comin' along the street," said the old lady.

"Hello again, Mary – it's good of you to see us – and this, of course, is my husband."

"It's a great honour to meet ye, Mr President, sir," Mary said, holding out her hand to return his handshake. "Do come in, both of ye' – tho' who would ever believe I'd have the President of America in my sittin' room!"

Abbey smiled. "Mary, I already told you – we're just Jed and Abbey – so please don't stand on ceremony!"

"But ye'll have a cup o' tea? The tray's all ready in the kitchen."

"So let me get that while you talk to Jed."

Jed followed Mary into the front room. "Do sit down, sir," she said, "here, let me take your coat – and make yerself comfortable, sir."

He smiled as he slipped off his fleece jacket. "Mary – I can call you Mary, can't I?"

"Aye, of course ye can, ev'ryone does."

"So you must call me Jed – okay?"

"Well, I'll try," Mary said a little doubtfully.

Jed sat down on the couch and leaned forward. "First I want to thank you for giving Abbey the letter, it meant a lot to me, more than I could ever tell you."

"Abbey tells me ye've only just found out about your mother and Eddy?"

"Yes, that's right. It was quite by chance too."

"So she never told you." It was a statement, not a question. "She said t'at John had made her promise to keep it secret, t'at he didn't want any reminders of Eddy."

"Well, you've answered that question for us," Jed acknowledged with a smile, "although it didn't exactly work out as he wanted."

"No, I can see t'at," Mary replied. "Because even I can see Eddy in you."

Jed looked at her curiously. "I was always told I looked like my mother."

"Aye, and ye do too. Ye've got her blue eyes – but ye've got that depth in your eyes that Eddy had – and ye've certainly got his smile and the way he tilted his head a little when he smiled too. And his hair used to fall for'ard over his forehead just like yours does. Oh aye, I can see that ye're Eddy's son an' no mistake."

"Did she write to you again – after that first letter, I mean?"

"Aye, just a coupla times – I don't know what happened to the other letters, I could on'y find that first one. But she did come back here once, when her Da died, that was sometime in the fifties."

"Yeah, I remember that – I was about twelve. I wanted to come to Ireland with her, but they wouldn't let me take time out from school. Did you meet with her again then?"

"Aye, on'y the once tho – 'cept for the funeral, o' course. We went for lunch at Connolly's – 'for old times' sake,' she said, cause that was where she had met Eddy. And she said then that she still thought about him, and that you were just like him – and that John sometimes couldn't cope with it." Mary paused and looked at him for a moment. "So he gave you a hard time, di'n't he?"

Jed nodded slowly. "Sometimes, yes." It seemed odd to be speaking about his childhood to this old lady who was a total stranger, but somehow it was easier than talking about it to people who knew him. "He didn't like me."

"Because you were growing up to be just like Eddy – and John was always jealous of his brother – that's what Annie told me."

"Yes, I'm just starting to understand that now." Jed hesitated and then asked, "Did she know?"

"Know what?"

"How he treated me?"

Mary frowned. "She said he was sharp with you, sometimes hurtful in what he said, the way he put you down when you said or did something he didn't like – something that maybe reminded him too much of Eddy."

Jed nodded slowly. "Yeah," he conceded. "Yeah."

"She wanted so much for you and John to get closer, ye know?"

He looked at her in surprise. "Really?"

"Aye, she thought that if on'y John could get over his jealousy of Eddy, then maybe he and you could have a real father-son relationship."

Jed shook his head slightly. "I'm afraid that never really happened, Mary." He turned as Abbey came into the room with the tea tray and the conversation ended while the tea was poured and the plate of oatmeal cakes was passed around.

"So – have you told Jed yet about how his Mom met Eddy?" Abbey asked as she sat down on the couch next to Jed.

"We've not got around to that yet," Jed replied.

"Oh, you must tell him, Mary, it's a lovely story."

"You want t' hear it?"

"Yes, of course," Jed said immediately. "Mary, you are the only person that I know who actually knew my real father – so anything you can tell me–"

He settled back against the couch and reached for Abbey's hand as Mary started to talk.

"Well, as ye know, it was 1946 and the American submarine had to put into the bay for repairs – something to do with the diving mechanism, I t'ink. Anyway, Annie and I were both doing the teacher's course at the college in Galway at the time, but we worked at Connolly's at night to get some extra money. It was a pub but it served food too, mainly fish and seafood, it still does. And this partic'lar night, a group of officers came in. Not yer ordinary sailors, 'cause that lot used to hang about in the bars in the town – and a lot o' girls went into the town jus' in the hope of pickin' up a sailor. But Annie and me, we weren't like that.

"Anyhow, these four officers got shown to a table – and we jus' looked at each other, cos they looked so smart an' handsome in their navy blue jackets with the gold buttons. Then one of them – that was Eddy – came to the bar, and it was Annie who served him, and I saw her and him laughing while she poured the beer. She told me afterwards that he was joking with her about the beer being warm and that she'd threatened to put some ice into it, which would've made it flat o'course.

"Then when he went back to his table with the drinks – and all through their meal too – I saw him glancing round at her every so often and I teased her – 'I t'ink he likes you,' I says, and she starts blushin' and says 'Don't be daft, Mary!'

"But the next night he came back, and he was on his own this time, and he sat on one of the stools at the bar, and they talked together almost all the time. And then, when it was closin' time, she comes to me and says 'Eddy wants to see me home, Mary – is t'at all right?' Well, we used to catch the bus to get to work, and then we had to wait for the last bus out o' Galway, but Eddy had got himself a car from somewhere, and he waited for Annie, and then when he saw I was headin' for the bus stop, he said, 'Come in the car too, Mary.'

"So t'at's what I did and I thought it was so kind o' him, he didn'a have to do it. But ev'ry night he came in the pub and then drove us back home again. And I sat in the back, kinda quiet like, while Annie and Eddy talked non-stop, they laughed such a lot too, I don't t'ink I'd ever seen Annie so alive and so happy. He used to stop the car just outside here, but after I'd got out, I knew that him and Annie stayed in the car, sometimes for an hour or more.

"About the third night, I says to her, 'Ye've taken a shine to him then, Annie?' An' she said, 'I'm in love wi' him – I've never felt like this before, I didn't think it could ever happen this fast." An' I says, 'But ye've on'y known him three days' and she jus' looked at me and said, 'I feel like I've known him all my life.' And there was jus' this look about her, and I knew she meant it.

"An' I could see why she'd fallen for him – it wasn't just that he was good-lookin', but he was fun an' he was carin' and he was really clever too, and he knew what he wanted to do with his life – he used to tell her about his career in the Navy – an' I remember him saying once 'And perhaps one day I can be part of the government, maybe even a Chief of Staff – that's my real aim, you know, to be able to have some influence in what my country does – and to try to make the world a better place'."

Jed drew in a quick breath and gripped Abbey's hand tightly. Stunned momentarily, he let the words sink in – 'to have some influence in what my country does – and to try to make the world a better place.'

"He could be echoing you there, Jed," Abbey said quietly.

"Yeah," he nodded slowly, knowing that she was right. Eddy's words could have been his own – expressing that deep-down passion within himself that had led him to make the decision to run for election in New Hampshire – the beginning of the path that had taken him on to Congress, then the Governorship and finally to the Presidency – 'to have some influence in what my country does – and to try to make the world a better place.' And then he remembered his mother's words – 'the same determination, the same passion, the same idealism.'

"And that was my father," he breathed, shaking his head slightly as he tried to take in the enormity of the realisation. Not the stern and harsh John Bartlet – but a man who had had that same deep-down passion which had been passed on to himself. 'So I really am my father's son,' he thought – and even as he thought it, Eddy Bartlet became real to him. This was a man who had had the traits that he could relate to, a man who had had the determination, passion and idealism that somehow he had inherited.

He became aware that Abbey and Mary were both silent and watching him.

"Abbey said that I had to tell you jus' what Eddy had said," Mary said hesitantly.

Jed looked round at Abbey and saw the depth of understanding in her eyes as she nodded and squeezed his hand. He had to blink a few times and swallow hard before he could speak again. "How long was Eddy in Galway?" he asked, needing to get the conversation back on to an even track again.

"I t'ink it was just over two weeks," Mary replied.

"So that's all the time she had with him?"

"Aye, but it was enough for them both to fall in love. Ye could see it in their eyes, both of them. I'd known Annie since we were bairns, so I knew it was real for her. And he loved her too – and they were both so broken up the day before the sub was due to leave the bay. She told me afterwards that that was the night that – well, ye know. Eddy had booked them into the Great Southern, the big posh hotel in the middle of the city – and then the next day we watched the sub leave the bay, and she cried so much. But then she said that he'd asked her to go to America and marry him. An' she wrote to him every day, and he wrote back – and it was as well she lived at the Post Office, else she would've driven the postmaster mad, waitin' every day for a letter from him."

"What happened when she knew she was pregnant?" Jed felt strange asking about his mother being pregnant with himself.

"Aye, well, that was a few weeks later – when she knew for certain. An' she wrote to tell Eddy and she was really scared about it all. But then she got a telegram from him – I remember her comin' round here, and her face was so alight, an' she said, 'It's all right, Mary, it's all right – he's so thrilled, an' he's sendin' me the fare to go to America an' he still wants to marry me. It's all goin' to work out all right, Mary!'"

Jed looked down, drawing in a deep breath and fighting against the tears that threatened to flood his eyes at the image of his mother – so excited and so much in love – and so thrilled about the life ahead of her in America with Eddy.

Abbey squeezed his hand gently. "But it didn't work out all right, did it, Mary?" she said.

"Ah, t'at was such a tragedy," Mary replied. "I didn'a know anything about it till she sent me that letter, and I really couldn't understand why she'd decided to marry his brother."

Jed looked up again. "She was alone and pregnant in a strange country," he said, recalling what he'd said to Abbey just a couple of days before.

"Aye, and she was right wanting you to be born as an American and have all the advantages that being a Bartlet could give you. Better than growing up here – she was right to give you that."

Jed inclined his head slightly, and Mary smiled. "An' ye just did then exactly what Eddy would have done. You might never have known him – but you've got just the same ways as he had. But I'm forgettin' – I got a photograph here for ye." She reached to side of the hearth and handed a small black and white photograph across to Jed. "It's one my brother Sean took when a whole group of us went to Salthill on the Sunday afternoon."

Jed looked down at the photo which had been taken on the beach, with the bay and the low hills in the background. His mother was wearing a polka-dot print dress with white collar and white cuffs on the short sleeves and Eddy, his hair ruffled by the wind, had light coloured trousers and an open-necked shirt. They had their arms round each other and they were both laughing as they looked at each other.

"Mary's right," Abbey said. "He's tilting his head towards your Mom in just the same way that you do, Jed. And they do look so happy, both of them, don't they?

Jed nodded, still looking down at the photo before he started to hand it back to Mary.

"Nay, I want ye to have it," Mary said, "seein' as how it's your mother and father together."

"Thank you," Jed said quietly, not trusting himself to say any more as he gazed down at the photograph and left Abbey to continue chatting to Mary until eventually she said, "We really shouldn't take up any more of your time, Mary – and I think we ought to get home because I'm not sure that I trust Jed's driving on these country roads in the dark!"

Jed took the cue from her and shot her a look of mock indignation, then grinned across at Mary. "She has no faith in my driving at all, Mary – she thinks I'm gonna start driving on the wrong side of the road!"

Mary shook her head slightly. "Aye, an' ye've just echoed your father there, Jed – 'cause Annie always used to joke with Eddy about driving on the left. And he used to laugh and once he called to me over his shoulder – 'She has no faith in my driving, Mary – what d'you think about that then?'"

"Like father, like son then?" Abbey said, looking round at him with a smile. "Jed, you ready?"

"Yeah."

Mary stood up with them, and hesitated for a second. "Could I ask you to do something for me?"

They both turned and Mary picked up a magazine from the floor near her chair. "I found this picture of you both – I kept it 'cause ye really reminded me of Eddy, 'cept your hair's a bit tidier than his was in t'at old photo! So please would you sign it for me? And then my family won't t'ink I'm completely senile when I tell 'em I had the President and the First Lady here with me in my sittin' room?"

She held out the magazine and they both recognised the full-page photo of themselves in front of the desk in the Oval Office – Jed with his arm round Abbey's shoulder and her hand reaching up to hold his.

"Yes, of course," Jed said immediately. He took the pen that Mary was holding out and wrote quickly above his own head on the photo: 'Mary – thank you so much for everything, we'll never forget you – Jed Bartlet.' And Abbey added her own signature at the bottom of the photo and added 'A million thanks, Mary' and then the date.

As she handed the magazine back to Mary, she said, "Would you wait until next weekend before you show this to your family, Mary? Because we don't really want anyone to know we're here in Ireland – but by the weekend we'll be back in America."

"Aye, I'll do that – and it's been so good to meet you both."

"It's been more than good," Jed said quietly, leaning forward to kiss the old lady's cheek, "It's been one of the best days of my life, and I can't ever thank you enough."

A few minutes later, after he'd eased himself into the car seat, he leaned back for a few seconds and closed his eyes, his mind still trying to take in all that he had discovered that afternoon.

"Jed?" Abbey looked round at him anxiously. "Are you okay?"

He sat straight again and looked at her with a smile. "Yeah," he said, "I'm good – I'm really good. I guess I finally found my father."

Abbey's hand reached out to his. "And you're happy?"

Jed took her hand and kissed it. "Yes, I am. And tonight, sweetheart, you're gonna have to trust me to drive in the dark – because tonight we're going to Connolly's."

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

"How did you know where Connolly's was?" Abbey asked they got out of the car in the parking lot behind a large pub.

"I had Charlie check it out while you were having a shower. They've got an internet connection in their cottage."

"So where exactly are we? I didn't recognise the road."

"About half way between Galway and Ballykane actually – we just cut across country to get here."

"My, we are getting confident with our driving, aren't we? And in the dark too! Hey!" she laughed as Jed aimed a playful blow on her rear,

"Stop mocking me!" he said with a grin.

As they went in through the double doors at the back, they both looked round appreciatively at the typical Irish pub, with its old world atmosphere. Old enamel advertising posters, photographs, framed newspapers and bric-a-brac crowded the stone walls, and wooden panelling separated the bar area into small cosy nooks and crannies. On their right they could see a more formal dining area.

"Good evenin'." A young waitress in short Irish tartan skirt and white blouse approached them and then faltered for a moment. 'She's recognised us,' Jed thought immediately, and then admired her aplomb as she went on quickly. "Er – would ye be wantin' to eat?"

"We would indeed," Jed replied. "Do we need to go through to the restaurant?"

"No, no, ye can sit anywhere, sir – it's the same menu whether ye're in the bar area or the restaurant."

"Then I think we'll stay in the bar area," Jed replied. "Okay?" he asked Abbey.

Abbey nodded and smiled, knowing just what was going on in his mind.

"So will this table be all right for ye then?" the girl asked, leading them past the bar to a table for two in the corner near one of the windows, partly shielded from the rest of the bar area by the wooden panelling around the front door of the building.

"This will be absolutely fine," Jed smiled.

"I'll just bring ye the menu. Can I get ye some drinks?"

Jed ordered an iced mineral water himself and a white wine for Abbey. "One of the disadvantages of not having a driver any more," he commented. "Why didn't I ask Charlie or Andy to drive us here?"

"Because you wanted to show off your cross-country driving skills?"

"I think I might just ignore that remark," Jed replied, narrowing his eyes playfully at her, then, "Do we still have some wine at the cottage?"

"Yes, plenty."

"Good, I'll make up for it later then."

When the girl returned with the drinks and menus, Jed put on his glasses and studied the list for a few minutes.

"Oh my," he said, "this really is something! The website that Charlie found about Connolly's said it specialised in fish and seafood – but I didn't expect this! I'm spoilt for choice!"

In the end he ordered the seafood chowder while Abbey decided on the crayfish timbale and then after ascertaining that the seafood linguine consisted of salmon, cod and smoked haddock in a white wine sauce, Abbey chose that and Jed went for the salmon and cod en filo with a prawn cream sauce.

Sipping his drink, he glanced around the bar. "I wonder if this place was the same when my mom met Eddy here?"

Abbey too looked around. "I guess it's probably not changed very much – maybe the restaurant at the back is a newer extension, but this part has got a real traditional feel about it, hasn't it?"

Jed reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out the photo that Mary had given him that afternoon. He put it down on the table in front of Abbey.

"Can you imagine her behind the bar? – and maybe the four American officers at that table over there near the fireplace?"

"Yeah – though I doubt that she was in a tartan skirt as short as the girls are wearing today," Abbey commented.

Jed laughed. "And I doubt that the officers had the same menu that we've just seen. Though I suppose that once the war was over the fishermen would be able to go out into the Atlantic again, safe from the threat of U-boats."

The girl brought their starters. "All the seafood on your menu – is it locally caught?" Jed asked.

"Er – I'm not sure, sir, they bring it from Galway City every morning. D'ye want me to find out?"

Jed held up his hand. "No, no, it doesn't matter."

Abbey had taken the first forkful of her crayfish. "This is delicious – so delicious that I don't really give a damn where it was caught!"

"Actually, I don't either," Jed said, sipping his chowder. "Mmm, this is excellent too!"

"So stop bugging the girl then!"

"I was just curious, okay?"

Abbey smiled. "Eddy probably bugged your mom in just the same way!"

"Yeah." Jed smiled, his eyes softening. "Yeah, probably." Then, "You know, that was interesting, how Mary picked up on things I said and did that reminded her of him."

"And I guess John Bartlet saw that too."

Jed stopped, his spoon in mid-air. "Can we leave that for the moment? I'd rather just think about Eddy tonight."

"Okay." Her instincts told her that Jed still had to sort out his feelings about John Bartlet but it was enough for the moment that Eddy had become a real person to him. Here at Connolly's she had to allow him that, time enough later to deal with that other issue.

When they'd finished their starters, Jed looked across at her. "It occurs to me that I haven't said thank you."

"For what?"

"For making contact with Mary when I was in shut-off mode."

"It could have been a wild-goose chase – but we hit pay-dirt, didn't we?"

Jed laughed. "And that's a wonderful mixed metaphor, if anything is! But yes, you're right. The letter – and what she told me today – well, that was more than I could ever have hoped for…" He paused and gave a short sigh. "When I think back to – oh, whatever day it was we first went to Ballykane–"

"Saturday."

"Okay, I've lost track of the days at the moment – but on Saturday I felt I was sinking in some deep morass, trying to grab at any memory I could find about Eddy. He just seemed like a total stranger."

"And now he's real?"

"A lot more real than a few days ago – and that's because of the letter, and because of today – and it's all because of you." He reached into his pocket and brought out a small box. "This is just to say thank you," he said, his voice suddenly husky. "And not just for today, but for every day that you've been part of my life."

Abbey took the box and opened it, then gasped.

"It's a Claddagh ring," Jed went on. "The design originated in the village of Claddagh –remember, the little harbour where we walked along the quayside? The two hands represent friendship, the crown loyalty and the heart of course is love."

"Jed, these are diamonds–"

"Yeah, and the heart's an emerald – to remind you of the Emerald Isle."

She looked at him curiously. "When did you get this?"

"Yesterday afternoon. After I'd met up with Alan, I stopped off in the city and went to Dillon's – they were the original manufacturers of the Claddagh rings. So I guess I bought it about the same time as you were first meeting with Mary. Oh, and it's engraved inside–"

Abbey pulled the ring out of the box and turned it to read the inscription inside the gold band. "Mo anam cara." She looked up. "What does that mean?"

Jed's blue eyes met hers. "My soul mate," he said quietly.

Abbey felt her eyes suddenly filling. "It's beautiful – thank you," she whispered, her eyes never leaving his.

He gave her a small smile and she could see that his eyes were shining too. "I hoped you'd like it." Then he had to clear his throat. "Oh, and you do know the right way to wear it, don't you?"

"The right way?"

"Traditionally, if you wear it with the heart facing outwards, away from your body, it means you're single and free and possibly looking for a relationship. But if you wear it with the heart facing inwards, it means that someone has captured your heart."

Abbey took the ring and slipped it on the third finger of her right hand, with the heart facing inwards. "Like this?"

Jed took her right hand in his and looked down at the ring. "Yeah," he said, "just like that." He brought her hand up to kiss it. Then his other hand reached out under the table to her knee. He looked at her from under his eyelashes. "Do we have to wait for the main course? Because I want to go to bed with you – right now."

Abbey suppressed a laugh. "Jed, behave yourself! Besides, I still want my seafood linguine."

"More than you want me?"

"Later, boyfriend, later."

"Is that a promise?"

"Could be – you gonna eat your all your green beans?"

"No, you can't get me on that one, I ordered the salad, not the vegetables."

This time Abbey did laugh out loud. "Okay then, I think we got ourselves a deal."

Jed raised his eyes to the ceiling. "Thank you, God." Then, lowering his eyes, he gave her the seductive look that she knew so well. "How quickly can you eat your main course?"

"Jed, stop it." But the look had already sent a powerful quiver of desire coursing through her.

"If you give me your hand under the table, I can show you how quick you need to be."

Abbey had to take a deep breath "Jed, please stop it!"

"Getting hot, babe? Me too, I could jump you right now."

Abbey smirked. "Not unless you want to get dragged off to the local police station and then hit the headlines in tomorrow's Galway newspaper."

"Garda station," Jed said.

"What?"

"Garda, that's what the police are called. Garda Siochana – I've probably not pronounced in correctly, but it means 'Guardians of the Peace'."

"Whatever." His hand was still on her thigh, and she was trying to stop it from moving higher and arousing her senses even more. "And you're going to need that hand in a minute, Jed, she's bringing our meals now."

Jed took one look at Abbey's seafood platter and laughed. "All right, I guess I'll have to calm down – it's gonna take you more than five minutes to eat all that – that's an American size portion!"

Half way through the meal, he suddenly looked across at her. "I just got it," he said.

"Got what?"

"You _were _handling me, weren't you?"

"When?"

"When you were pushing me to call Alan at NUI. You were already planning to go back to Ballykane."

"Maybe."

"Maybe nothing. Don't give me that. You said you wanted time to do your own thing."

"Yeah, well, it _was_ my own thing."

"You lied, Abbey."

"I didn't exactly lie – I just didn't tell you the whole truth. I do that from time to time. You know that. And it works most of the time."

Jed gave her a comical frown. "There are times when I think that you have me twisted right around your little finger."

Abbey laughed. "Just believe it, babe."

After they'd finished their meal, the girl came to ask them if they wanted dessert. Jed had to suppress a smile when Abbey said, "I really don't think I can eat anything more."

"Can I get ye any coffee then?"

He glanced at Abbey and then said, "No, we're done. Can we have the check – uh-oh, I mean the bill, don't I?"

They waited a few minutes until the girl came back with their bill. Jed peeled off a few Euro notes from his wallet, added another twenty note and put them on the plate. The girl picked up the plate. "Thank you very much, sir – and please would you sign this menu for me?"

"Sign it?"

"I –um – I'd like to have the autograph of the President, sir."

Jed's eyebrows shot up then he grinned at her. "I _knew_ it – I knew you'd recognised us!"

The girl smiled. "I was in America two years ago. I did a semester at Georgetown in Washington."

"Did you indeed? Did you enjoy it?"

The girl smiled. "Yes, I did – very much. And I was in some of the same classes as Zoey, I got to know her quite well."

Jed smiled. "Small world then! Is that why you recognised us?"

"Yes, Zoey invited me to the White House one afternoon – and we were standin' talkin' to Charlie when you came out of the Oval Office, and she introduced me to you."

"Yeah – yeah, I do remember that now. But I'm sorry – I can't recall your name."

"He's hopeless with names!" Abbey laughed.

"It's Kate – Kate O'Leary."

"Okay, Kate," Jed said as he wrote quickly on the menu: 'Kate – Thanks for a memorable evening at Connolly's – Jed Bartlet." He smiled up at her. "And of course we'll let Zoey know that we met you here."

"Thank you, sir. And now the other staff are just going to have to believe me that it really is yourselves!"

"Do us a favour, Kate," Jed said, giving her a wink as he stood up. "Give us a few moments to make a quick exit before you tell them, huh?"

"I'll do that, sir," Kate smiled back, "and enjoy your stay in Ireland."

Jed caught hold of Abbey's hand as they walked across the parking lot. "I think our cover's blown," he said.

After opening the car door for her, he headed towards the agents' car. Charlie opened the window. "Everything okay, sir?"

"We were recognised in there, Charlie. I don't think it's gonna be a problem, but just check that no-one's following us, will you?"

"Will do, sir."

"Oh, and I'll come and talk to you in the morning about some flights home."

"Yes, sir."

As he got into the car, he looked round at Abbey. "I think we may need to avoid villages, towns and cities tomorrow," he said.

Abbey nodded. "Maybe we just have a lazy day at the cottage then?"

"Sounds okay to me." Jed grinned suddenly. "We might need it."

Abbey shot him a sideways glance. "Meaning–?"

"We have a deal, remember?"

"Oh, and there was me thinking you'd be feeling very sleepy after all that good food."

Jed grinned. "Not a chance!"

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

He moved his left hand to her knee and she immediately returned it to the steering wheel. "Concentrate on your driving, Jed – and will you please switch on the wipers, it's starting to rain."

"Uh-oh," Jed said.

"What's the matter?"

"I don't have a clue how to switch them on. It's one of these – hang on, I'd better pull over for a moment."

As he drew the car to a standstill on the dark road, the agents' car pulled up behind them and both Charlie and Mike leapt out.

"Now I'm _really_ in trouble," Jed said wryly.

He hit the window button as the two agents drew level with the car.

"Something wrong, sir?"

Jed looked up at them. "Yeah, you could say that. Er – do either of you guys know how to turn on the wipers in this car? And if either of you makes some wisecrack, I will personally dock your pay!" he added as Charlie and Mike exchanged glances.

Charlie leant inside the car, trying his best to keep a straight face. "Yes, sir, it's here on the right arm, one click forward for flip wipe, two for standard and three for fast wipe. And you pull the arm towards you for rear screen wipe."

"Thank you very much. Now we can all continue on our way in safety. Goodnight, guys."

As he pulled away again, he glanced round at Abbey. "They think I'm an idiot," he sighed.

"I guess they're just amused that the man who was the leader of the free world until last week didn't know how to switch on car wipers."

"Yeah, maybe. And I don't know how to work a coffee machine either, or how to do text messages on a cellphone – and I certainly don't have a clue about computers or the internet."

"Maybe you should do a computer course."

"Why? I don't need a computer."

"Well, no, you didn't when you were at the White House – all you had to do was click your fingers and someone else would check out any information you needed."

"Nah, I held all the information I needed up here," Jed answered, tapping his head.

"Not always," Abbey reminded him. "I seem to recall that once you didn't know the price of milk."

"Okay, so I mean _most _of the information I needed then. Anyway, if I need any information now, I can always call Gus and have him check it out for me."

"You're right there," Abbey agreed. "Kids are way ahead of us with all this new technology."

Jed glanced round at her. "We're getting old, aren't we, Abbey?"

"Older, not old, Jed, there's a difference."

"Yeah." After a couple of seconds, he started quoting: "_Grow old with me, the best is yet to come – The last of life, for which the first was made – Our times are in His hand, Who saith 'A whole I planned, Youth shows but half – trust God – see all, nor be afraid!_' Robert Browning." He drew the car to a standstill outside the cottage and looked round at her for a moment. "We'd never have understood that when we were young, would we?"

"I guess not – but it does make sense," Abbey said slowly. "'A whole I planned, youth shows but half' – that's a good sentiment in a world that thinks that getting older is some kind of failure."

"The best is yet to come, sweetheart." He leant over to kiss her and the gentle kiss started to get more intense until Abbey pushed him back with a sudden laugh.

"Jed, we just decided we're getting older – and we have a bed waiting for us in there, so we actually don't need to make out in the car like teenagers."

"Oh, I don't know – it could be fun! Remember that drive-in movie we went to once?"

"Yeah, what was that movie we – er – didn't see?"

Jed laughed. "No idea!"

"But at the drive-in movie we didn't have Secret Service agents sitting watching us – and they're now waiting for us to be safely inside the cottage!"

"Okay, point taken. You ready to make a run for it?"

The rain was coming down heavily and they had to make a dash from the car to the cottage. Once inside, Jed turned the key in the lock of the front door and looked at Abbey who was pulling off her wet jacket, and running her hand through her damp hair. "Now can we go to bed?" he asked, taking off his fleece.

"So whatever happened to romance?" she asked. "A couple of drinks – Sinatra maybe?"

"We had a deal," he reminded her, going up behind her and kissing the side of her neck.

"Can we have the romance too?"

"Okay – so I'll turn on the CD player – I can actually manage that bit of technology," he added with a grin, "and then I'll fix us some drinks and you can go slip into – er – one of your special garments? – and _then_ we can go to bed."

"That sounds more like it."

"Go then," he said, patting her rear.

"There's some white wine in the fridge," she said as she headed for the bedroom.

"Is there any Scotch?"

Abbey paused at the bedroom door and looked back. "Shame on you, Jed – we're in Ireland, not Scotland. But I think you'll find some Irish whiskey – and that's spelt with an 'e' by the way – in the cupboard – and there's a bag of ice in the deep freeze."

Jed poured the drinks and took them through to the sitting room, then found the Sinatra CD and put it into the machine. He took off his tie, unfastened a couple of the buttons of his blue shirt and was sprawled on the couch sipping his whiskey when Abbey came back into the room.

"Mmm, nice," he said as his eyes took in the contours of her body in her short silky robe. "What colour do you call that then?"

"Oyster grey."

Jed nodded. "Well, they do say that oysters are an aphrodisiac – something to do with amino acids, I think."

"That's if you eat them, Jed, I don't think the colour has the same effect."

"Oooh yes," Jed said, narrowing his eyes as he looked at her. "Yes it does – I can vouch for that."

Abbey laughed. "You are _so_ predictable!" But she still loved it when his eyes flickered up and down her body with that appreciative glint. Loved the fact that he still found her attractive – and desirable. "You fixed my drink?"

Jed indicated the glass of wine on the small table in front of the couch. "Come and sit with me, Abbey."

Abbey sat down and picked up her glass and he put his arm round her and then went on, "You know what James Garfield said about getting old?"

"No, but you're gonna tell me."

"'If wrinkles must be written upon our brows, let them not be written upon the heart. The spirit should never grow old."

"I like that. But Garfield didn't grow old, did he? He was assassinated."

"Yeah, when he was only forty-nine, the second President to be assassinated and he'd served for just six months. Did you know that the railroad station where Guiteau shot him was where the National Gallery of Art is now? And that there was a suspicion that Chester Arthur had put Guiteau up to it? Vice Presidents sure have a lot to answer for!"

Abbey rolled her eyes. "Jed–"

"What?"

"I'd rather you didn't start on your pet topic of 'Why the hell did the Founding Fathers ever create the office of Vice President?'"

"Okay." Jed said amiably and put his arm round her, pulling her to him. "This is when I don't give a damn about getting old."

"Older," she corrected

"Older," he complied. "But when I'm with you, I still feel like I did when we first got together." He gave her a sideways look. "Once you'd split with Ron Ehrlich."

"And once you'd decided that the priesthood wasn't for you," Abbey countered.

"Yeah, well, I met you, didn't I? After that, there was no contest."

"Those were good days," Abbey said with a nostalgic smile, putting her glass down and resting her head against his shoulder.

Jed tightened his arm around her. "Yeah, they were – when there was just the two of us – before we got so busy with the girls and our careers, and everything else – not that I would have changed any of that, of course – but yeah, they were very good days."

"And now the wheel's turned full circle – 'cause we're back to just the two of us. The girls are all grown up and have their own lives – and, well, we don't have careers any more, do we?"

"We've still got each other, that's all that matters – and I still want you just as much as I did when I first met you." He turned to kiss her, a gentle kiss that became deeper as he pulled her towards him. His hand moved down to the silky hem of her robe and started to push it up and she began to unfasten the remaining buttons of his shirt.

They both jumped when there was a knock at the door of the cottage. "What the hell–?" Jed stood up and went across to the door, hastily refastening his shirt buttons and smoothing his hair back, while Abbey pulled a cushion over her knees.

Charlie stood there and Jed stepped back to let him into the room, out of the rain. "I'm sorry to disturb you, sir – but we've just had a call from the agent at the farm. He says that Josh Lyman has been trying to contact you urgently."

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

"Josh? What on earth does he want?"

"Checking where you hid the cache of paper fasteners?" Abbey said facetiously behind him.

Charlie looked past Jed at Abbey and Jed saw the appreciative look come into his eyes. He coughed warningly and Charlie looked back at him. "Er – we have a secure line at the cottage, sir – so if you'd like to come across?"

"Now?" Jed glanced backwards at Abbey.

"Go, Jed."

It was about ten minutes before Jed returned to the cottage. In the meantime, Abbey had poured herself another drink and fixed a second one for Jed. She'd put her feet up on the couch and looked round as he came back in, pulling his damp shirt away from his chest, and then running both hands through his wet hair. "You went out in the rain without your jacket on?"

"I forgot it was raining – and it's coming down pretty hard now."

"Jackass! Did you get through to Josh then?"

"Yeah, and you're not gonna believe this–"

"Try me." Abbey swiveled her legs round so that Jed could sit beside her again.

"Matt Santos has gone down with chickenpox!"

"What?"

"Yeah, evidently his kids both had it – that's why they weren't at the Inauguration – and he's caught it from them."

"Hey, that can't be good – chickenpox in kids is usually fairly mild, but it can be pretty nasty for an adult."

"Yeah, Josh said he was quite ill."

"He was calling you just to tell you that?"

Jed hesitated, picked up his glass and swirled the ice around before taking a mouthful of whiskey. "Well, no, there was a bit more to it than that."

Abbey's eyes narrowed. "Go on."

"Matt was due to go to a the final day of the Global Energy Commission in Brussels on Friday, but obviously he can't–"

"So they've asked you." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yeah."

"Surely there's someone else who could go? What about the VP?"

"Eric's not officially VP yet, not until he's confirmed by Congress. We've had a big delegation from the CEQ there all week doing the spadework, but Friday's the important day. The Secretary of Energy will be there, some members of the Congress Energy Committee and some of the staff too. But Josh said that Matt was insisting it should be high profile. There are enough people out there already thinking that America is not taking the energy problem seriously enough."

"So what did you say?"

He hesitated for a moment. "I – er – well, I said I'd call him back tomorrow."

"What are you gonna do?"

Jed took another gulp of his drink, studiously avoiding looking at her. "I'm not sure."

"What do you _want _to do?"

"I'm not sure."

Abbey thought for a moment. "Well, I suppose that since you went to the last meeting, you already know most of the people who will be there–"

"I was gonna stay out of politics."

"I know. But this is something you feel strongly about – you've always said that America is falling way behind Europe in trying to combat global warming."

"Yeah, because all the advisers say it would hurt America's economy too much."

"What's Matt Santos' take on it?"

"Same as mine. That it's time America started looking seriously at alternative energy sources at home at the same time as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and that it's time to stop letting the oil companies dictate our policy for us."

"So any views you wanted to put forward at the meeting would reflect the views of the Santos administration?"

"I guess so. I'd just need to check out the latest views about ethanol subsidies and nuclear power, and the draft of the roadmap that's being hammered out this week, but I could discuss that with Josh, of course – and get him to send me some documents to read."

"Do you want to start reading long policy documents again?"

Jed was silent for a few moments. "I'll think about it." He reached for his glass again and drained it. "Mr Sinatra's doing his best over there," he said.

"Yeah."

Jed leant back against the couch, closing his eyes as he listened to Sinatra singing 'Time after Time'. Then he started laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"I was just thinking of all the times in the White House that we got interrupted when we were in the middle of making love – and it's still happening even here and now!"

"We weren't actually in the _middle _this time," Abbey reminded him.

"True."

Abbey put her hand on his knee. "Your pants and shirt are wet, Jed – isn't it time you took them off?"

He opened one eye and looked at her. "Are you making me an offer that I can't refuse?"

Slowly Abbey started sliding her hand up his thigh. "Come to bed, lover boy."

Jed drew in a deep breath, then opened both eyes and looked into hers. "And that's the best offer I've had all day," he said.

They both stood up and then, with their arms around each other, they made their way to the bedroom.

TBC


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Rating for this chapter is NC-17

Abbey was curled into her usual place in the curve of Jed's body when she surfaced from sleep. His arm was resting round her, his hand just below her breasts and she smiled drowsily, remembering the night before – remembering how he'd teased, tormented and aroused her with his hands and his mouth, bringing her right to the edge and then holding her there until she was helpless and aching for him – how she had felt so complete when he finally came into her and she'd heard the low groan that escaped from him – and how all the instincts that came from over thirty years of knowing each others' bodies took over as they'd moved together, slowly at first and then more urgently and frantically as they both spiralled out of control.

Even thinking about it now sent a quiver through her, remembering how his thrusts had become fiercer, harder, deeper – until his almost desperate gasp of "Abbey!" preceded his shuddering expulsions inside her. It was that gasp which, as happened so many times, had sent her right over the edge too into her own pulsating climax. And then they'd both collapsed breathlessly into an eventual haze of satisfaction and contentment until he'd drawn her into his arms and whispered 'I love you' as they both drifted into sleep.

She eased herself over and turned to look at him sleeping, enjoying the novelty of the experience. Usually she woke to an empty space in the bed beside her, with Jed long gone to yet another dawn meeting. So now her face softened into a smile as she watched him. His even breathing showed that he was nowhere near waking, and his face was totally relaxed. Even the harsh lines of fatigue that had etched his face during the last couple of years seemed to have been erased. He looked almost boyish – the young, handsome student she had fallen in love with so many years before – and Abbey felt the familiar stirring deep inside her.

Unable to stop herself, her hand went up to smooth back the hair that had fallen over his forehead – greying now, but she remembered when it had been so much darker, and longer too in the fashion of the late sixties. Slowly her fingers traced the line of his jaw and then moved down past his neck to his chest, stroking the hairs there before following the darker hairs down to his stomach. Unconsciously Jed brought his own hand up to cover hers and stirred a little. Even that was enough to set Abbey's pulse racing.

She felt guilty for waking him but couldn't ignore the growing need inside her. She leaned forward to kiss his mouth and sensed his response. As his eyes flickered half open and saw her, he said "Hey."

"Hey yourself."

He seemed to be about to drift back to sleep again, but then his eyes opened wider. Despite being still half asleep, he had recognised the naked desire in Abbey's eyes. "You want more?"

"I want you."

"You got me." The blue eyes sleepily met hers. "So what you gonna do with me?"

"Jed, just go back to sleep," she said softly.

"If you say so," he concurred, closing his eyes again. And then with one swift movement he rolled on to his back and pulled her on top of him, holding her hips firmly against his.

"Jed!" she gasped in surprise.

He looked up at her with mock reproach. "You've woken me up at some ungodly hour – so now you'd better make it worth it."

"Hey, you woke me up plenty of times at the White House at some ungodly hour – but you hardly ever made it worth it – 'cause then you were gone."

"You think I didn't have to take cold showers before I went down to the Oval then?"

"Yeah, I seem to remember you yelping when you turned on the shower."

"And then I was all cranky with Charlie and Leo – and they always knew why."

"I bet they did. A lot of eye-rolling, I imagine?"

Jed grinned. "Yeah, and I once overheard Leo saying to Charlie 'Fix it with Lilly!' in that grim voice he used – and then Charlie made a point of telling me when I had a gap in my schedule – for barbecuing."

Abbey smiled. "He and Lilly did work well together on the barbecuing schedule!"

"You know, I never did work out why they called it barbecuing."

Abbey thought for a moment. "It figures, I guess – smouldering coals – barbecues are _hot_."

"So are you – and your eyes smoulder too."

"Your eyes just used to say 'I want sex and I want it right now.'"

Jed looked up at her. "So what are they saying now?"

"I want sex and I want it right now?'

"Clever girl," he said with a smile, moving his hands down her hips.

"What are we waiting for then?"

Jed gazed up at her, his blue eyes soft with desire. "Why is it than I can never get enough of you, even after all this time?"

"Why is it that I feel exactly the same?"

"And I don't just want sex, you know – I want you, I've always wanted you. It's different."

"Yeah, I know." Then, "I love you, Jed."

"And I love you – let's just go along with that, shall we?"

He rolled her over on to her back and started kissing her everywhere until she was lost.

"Definitely not the weather for barbecuing," Jed said with a grin as he came into the kitchen. He stopped behind her to put his hands on her waist and kiss the back of her neck through her hair.

Abbey's lips twitched. "I think we sorted out the barbecue very successfully earlier!" She glanced through the kitchen window at the rain outside "Well, they do say that it's the rain here that makes this the Emerald Isle. Though at the moment it looks more like the Gray Isle. Can't even see the bay now."

It was true, the mist of rain had almost blotted out Galway Bay and it was a gray and featureless day.

"You want some yogurt, Jed?"

"Just toast will be fine." Jed put two slices of bread in the toaster and pressed the lever. "Guess I'm improving, I do know how to work the toaster! But why is that coffee machine dripping clear water into the jug?"

Abbey glanced round. "Damn, I forgot to put the coffee in the filter."

"Hah! So it's not just me who has problems with modern machines!"

"I _know_ how to work the coffee machine, Jed – I just forgot to put the coffee in!"

"Hmm – er – a senior moment then maybe?"

"One more comment like that and I will beat you senseless with the coffee machine!"

Jed grinned and held up his hands. "Okay, okay!" He slid his hands round her waist again. "Did I ever tell you how sexy you are when you get snippy? Oww!" he finished as she dug her elbow into his ribs.

"Just go get the coffee from the cupboard, will you?" she said with a smirk.

Later, as they sipped their mugs of coffee at the table, Abbey looked across at him. "You gonna call Josh?"

Jed glanced at his watch. "Too early yet – it's only four in the morning in DC."

"So you have about two hours to make up your mind. What are you going to do?"

Jed leant back against his chair. "Half of me says 'Stay out of it, let them get on with it.' The other half says, 'Yeah, I don't have any problem with this, I've done this before, I can do it again'."

"Okay, so tell Josh that half of you will go – and the other half can stay here with me."

Jed raised his eyebrows. "You don't want to go with me?"

"Do you _want_ me to go with you?"

"Do I want…?" He caught hold of her hand across the table. "Abbey, we've spent far too much time apart in the last eight years. Of _course _I want you to go with me. Besides," he added casually, "I've heard there are some very nice shops in Brussels – Armani, Versace, Dior–"

Abbey's eyes sparkled. "And now that I'm not First Lady, I can start wearing more French and Italian designer clothes instead of just American design. So when do we go?"

Jed laughed. "You want me to tell Josh that I'll do the Energy meeting because my wife would like a shopping trip in Brussels?"

"That sounds about right to me."

"Okay."

Alarm shot across Abbey's face. "Jed, I was only kidding. You've got to make your own decision about this."

"Yeah, I know." Jed stood up and walked across to the window, while Abbey watched him anxiously. "So do I go back on to the world political stage just a week after retiring as President? What's the Washington Post gonna say about that? That the old man can't let go?"

"That's ridiculous and you know it! Other former Presidents have stayed in the political arena. And anyway, when did you give a damn about what the Washington Post says?"

"True – on both counts."

"And it's a totally natural follow-up of everything you did as President – after the last Energy meeting, you got the ten percent reduction in fossil fuel emissions passed–"

"Should have been twenty," Jed shrugged, "but Congress wouldn't wear that one. And we got defeated on the Average Fuel Economy standards too. We didn't do nearly enough–"

"So here's your chance to do more."

Jed paused for a moment then, putting his hands in his pockets, he turned back to her and gave her a small smile.

She knew that smile. "You're going to do it, aren't you?"

He tilted his head slightly. "Yeah."

Abbey's eyes narrowed. "When did you decide?"

"Last night – when Josh asked me."

Abbey stood up, her eyes wide now. "So what's all this been about then? Why didn't you tell me last night?"

"I was testing the water."

"Testing the–?"

"Yeah. Think about it, toots. If I'd come back in here last night, and said I was going to an Energy meeting in Brussels on behalf of the President, what would you have said?"

"I–"Abbey started then stopped, suddenly realising what he had been doing.

Jed grinned. "Exactly!"

Abbey nodded slowly, then looked at him. "Okay – so you made me think that you weren't sure what to do – and then you got me to try and talk you into it? That's cheating, Jed!"

"I do that from time to time," Jed said lightly. "You know that. And it works most of the time." His blue eyes twinkled with amusement. "Er – recognise those words?"

"Oh!" Abbey sat down again quickly, and threw him a look of exasperation. "So how did I just _know_ that was gonna rebound on me?"

Jed moved towards her. "Because you've known me for forty years?"

"Yeah," Abbey conceded, then "Jackass!"

He laughed. "I'm quite a lovable jackass though – right?"

Her expression softened. "Yeah – right."

Jed smiled and leant forward to kiss her forehead. "Good – and now I'm going for a shower and if I make it a cold one, maybe it'll psych me up for calling Josh and for all the documents that he's gonna send me."

When he'd gone, Abbey went into the kitchen and poured herself another mug of coffee, and then returned to the sitting room and sat down on the couch.

'He's come alive again,' she thought. The last few days he had been floundering, first with the emptiness after eight years of non-stop activity, and then with the shattering discovery about Eddy – a mind-numbing shock that had been partly softened by his mother's letter and by his meeting with Mary Cavanagh. But Josh's phone call had given him the boost that he had needed to get back on track again, to kick-start his brain – she'd seen it in his eyes, that eagerness to start thinking again, to get involved in something that was important to him.

At the same time, she knew that he still had not faced his feelings about John Bartlet, and that somehow she was going to have to find a way to persuade him to deal with it before he could really move on. But she knew too that she would have to choose the right moment.

TBC


	23. Chapter 23

Just over two hours later, Jed was connected via the secure line to the White House. "Josh Lyman's office, please," he said to the operator. "I think he's probably waiting for my call – it's Jed Bartlet here."

"Oh!" said the startled operator's voice. "Oh – yes, sir. I'm putting you through right now, sir."

A click, one short ring, then "Josh Lyman," said the familiar voice.

"Good morning, Josh."

"Mr President."

"Josh, I told you last night, it's Jed now."

"Yes, sir."

Jed grinned to himself at Josh's automatic response. "How's the President?"

"Still pretty sick, sir."

"Give him my best wishes – and tell him not to scratch the spots!"

"I'll do that, sir. Er – is it still okay then? You said you had to discuss it with Mrs Bartlet."

"Abbey talked me into it," Jed said with a smile.

"Scuse me?"

"Never mind – just organise two plane tickets to Brussels for us tomorrow, will you?"

A momentary silence, and Jed suppressed a chuckle. He could picture Josh raising his clenched fist in satisfaction. "That's great, sir. And we can divert Air Force One to New Hampshire for you."

"Well, that's okay – except that we're not in New Hampshire."

"You're not? I thought–"

"You and hopefully the rest of the world too, with just a few exceptions."

"So where are you?"

"Ireland."

"Ireland?" Josh echoed incredulously. His voice rose almost an octave "You're in _Ireland_?"

"You make it sound like we've gone to the moon, Josh!" Jed said with a laugh. "Yes, Ireland – so forget Air Force One, a scheduled flight from Shannon or Dublin to Brussels will be fine."

"Yeah, right."

"Also I'll need to talk to the Secretary of Energy and the Chair of the CEQ sometime today – and I need copies of–"

"I've got all the policy documents here – and all the stuff that's come through so far from Brussels. I was gonna send them express to Manchester – but that's no use now, is it? So I'll get them all scanned and then email them to you – er, I _can_ email them to you over there, can I?"

Jed grinned. "Yes, Josh, we do actually have internet connection here in Ireland! But you'd better talk to Charlie Tynan about that – he's the one with the computer here. Hang on a minute – Charlie!" he called.

Charlie appeared from the kitchen. "Sir?"

"Talk to Josh about him sending some documents here by email, will you please? And then would you let me know when the calls from the Energy Secretary and the CEQ Chair come through?"

"Yes, sir."

"Josh, here's Charlie – he's head of our detail over here. You can talk to him about all the computer stuff – and I'll speak to you again later when I've had time to look through all the documents."

Jed winked at Charlie as he handed the phone to him. "See you later, Charlie."

"All organised?" Abbey asked as he went back into the cottage again.

"Yep, you got yourself a shopping trip to Brussels! And I suppose I've got myself about an hour before Charlie comes across here with a five inch wedge of papers – so in the meantime I need to start getting some thoughts down on paper. Come to think of it, do we _have _any paper here?"

"There are a few empty pages at the back of my diary," Abbey offered with a grin.

"Yeah, thanks, but I think I might need more than that. I'll just go back and get some from Charlie."

As he reached the door, Abbey said suddenly, "Jed, can I ask you something?"

Jed turned back. "Sure – what?"

"I know you're gonna be busy this afternoon – and I know you said last night that we ought to keep away from towns and villages today – but, since this will be our last night here in Ireland, can we maybe go out together this evening – just to a pub somewhere?"

Jed looked at her, sudden concern crossing his face. "Abbey, are you having second thoughts about all this?"

"No – no, it's not that. I'm fine with it."

"Honestly?"

"Yes, honestly. I want you to do this Brussels meeting, Jed."

"So what is it?"

Abbey stood up and took the few steps towards him. "I'd really like one more night of being just Jed and Abbey Bartlet, doing ordinary things like going out to a pub, before we go back into the goldfish bowl of being former President and First Lady."

Jed caught hold of her hands and grinned. "We've got a lot more nights of being just Jed and Abbey Bartlet, I promise you!"

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah," he said softly. "I know what you mean – and I guess we owe ourselves that, don't we? You got yourself a deal, Abigail Ann." He leant forward to kiss her gently, then began to kiss her harder until Abbey pushed him away gently.

"Jed, you have to go and get some paper."

"Yeah, right – dammit, why didn't I just say no to Josh?"

When he'd gone, Abbey stood there for a few moments. She smiled and shook her head slightly, remembering how many times the same sort of scenario had been replayed in their White House days, when Jed had started coming on to her and she'd had to push him away and remind him that he had to go to some meeting or press conference. But it was still good, knowing that he still wanted her as much as she still wanted him.

That afternoon she curled up on the couch, reading some more of the Ballykane book. But every so often she glanced across at Jed. He was sitting at the table, totally engrossed as he worked his way through the pile of papers that had come through from the computer. There was so much that Charlie had had to make a quick trip into Galway to buy another pack of printer paper. Every so often, Jed scribbled notes down, crossed something out, read some more, thought for a few moments, then wrote again.

"You writing your own speech?" she asked him at one point.

He turned and looked at her over his glasses. "Sorry?"

"I asked if you were writing your own speech."

"Yeah. Well, a draft anyway – and some notes for the morning discussions and press conference too." He leaned back and stretched his shoulders, then took off his glasses. "And I guess I need a break. Is there any coffee?"

"Yeah, there's a full jug in the kitchen."

She made to stand up but he stopped her. "It's okay, I'll get it. Do you want one?"

"Please." When he brought the mugs of coffee back into the lounge, she looked up at him. "Is someone from the White House gonna have to vet your speech then?"

Jed laughed as he sat down beside her. "You think they don't trust me?"

"No, I just meant that if you are representing the administration, then obviously you have to reflect their views."

"That's why I've got all that paperwork over there!"

"Isn't all that from your own team?"

"A lot of it, yes, but I've got some new stuff from Peter Rosen, the new Secretary of Energy – and I talked with him this morning. He'll be in Brussels too. And in case you're worried about my speech, we'll be seeing Sam Seaborn again tomorrow, so he can work on it for me."

"Sam?" Abbey's eyes lit up. "Oh, it'll be good to see him again – I only managed a short chat with him after the Inauguration." She paused, reflecting back. "He had an amazing way with words, I loved some of the speeches he did for you."

"Yeah. I still remember his very best – '_We did not seek nor did we provoke an assault on our freedom and our way of life. We did not expect nor did we invite a confrontation with evil._' Beautiful cadence. It was after the Kennison State bombings. He said he wrote that in the car on the way to the DNC fundraiser."

"If he ever gets to be President, he'll be able to write his own speeches."

"I already told him I'll be there campaigning for him when he runs for President. And he will – because he has that idealism, Abbey – the belief in doing the right thing simply because it's right, even when the consequences might be politically disastrous."

"The same idealism as yours – and maybe Eddy's too." Jed inclined his head in the gesture that meant agreement and Abbey, seizing the moment, went on: "The same determination, the same passion, the same idealism? The things that John Bartlet saw in you and resented so much."

"Abbey, don't go there," Jed warned quietly.

Abbey knew it was probably the wrong time, but decided to go for it anyway. "Why not, Jed? Why not face it? You've had it staring at you in the face these last few days, you finally know just why he didn't like you, why can't you face it?"

"Because–" Jed set down his coffee mug on the table then sighed. "I don't know."

Abbey drew in a deep breath, then spoke softly. "Because all you can remember is the confused little boy who didn't know why his father hit him?"

Jed flinched visibly and then leaned back against the couch.

Abbey turned towards him. "Jed, listen to me. You know now why he did it – but you still need to sort out your feelings about John Bartlet."

There was silence for a few minutes. Abbey waited, watching as Jed's face showed the conflicting thoughts that were churning around in his mind. Then he said, almost in a whisper, "I started hating him."

TBC


	24. Chapter 24

Abbey froze, her eyes fixed on him, wondering if finally he was going to open up.

He leant forward into his customary position when he was thinking something through, elbows on thighs, hands clasped in front of him with his fingers moving almost constantly. "When I was a kid – seven or eight maybe – I used to sit on my bed – and rub my hand against my face where he'd hit me – and I didn't know why he'd done it, so I started hating him. There was one time when–"

He stopped, and Abbey prompted him gently. "When what?" She held her breath, thinking that he was going to retreat and push the memories back into the inner recesses of his mind, just as he always did.

But this time he went on. "Jonathan was about six so I must have been nine – I had a hamster at the time, I called him Hannibal – and one day Jon let Hannibal out of his cage. He was chasing him round the kitchen and laughing as he tried to stand on his tail. I could see that Hannibal was terrified, so I was trying to catch him and holding out my arm to stop Jon at the same time – and then my Dad came in and yanked me back by my sweater – yanked me real hard – and I fell backwards, right on top of Hannibal. And I remember I – I just stood up and picked up the poor crushed little thing and my father said, 'That will perhaps teach you not to tease Jonathan again.' And it was so unjust, I couldn't even say anything. I just looked up at him – and I hated him. And the look must have been enough, because the punch he gave me knocked me to the floor again–"

He stopped, and Abbey put her hand on his knee. She couldn't look at him, couldn't bear to see the pain in his eyes, and had to blink a few times to try to stop the tears that had flooded to her eyes at the image he had just given her.

After a few long minutes, he went on again. "But then, as I got older – well, once I could start reasoning things out – I started to think that it must be my fault – that he got angry because I disagreed with him and argued with him. And I knew that I should try to keep my mouth shut – but I couldn't do it, even though I knew it would make him mad. There were still times when I just couldn't stop myself from saying something that he didn't like – and then I'd get the slap or the punch again. There were times too when I did it deliberately to annoy him or goad him – and I'm not very proud of myself for that – but somehow I had to show him that he couldn't shut me up by hitting me, that he couldn't stop me from having my own ideas and opinions about things. So then, when he lashed out, I guess I just told myself, 'Well, it's your own fault, you asked for it–'"

There was a silence and Abbey shook her head slowly. "You thought it was your fault – you shifted the blame on to yourself – oh Jed–"

Jed shook his head slightly. "Stanley said I'd spent my life trying to please him – but he was so wrong about that. Okay, he was right when he said it was never going to happen. Now that I know about Eddy, I can understand that. But Stanley was wrong about me spending my life trying to make him like me." He paused for a moment. "I had my own goals – and they were totally separate from him somehow, they were for myself, they weren't an effort to try and win his praise, they were far more important than that. They were part of me, not of him." He shrugged slightly. "Maybe they were part of Eddy, I don't know."

Abbey bit her lip and then drew him back again. "So did you stop hating John when you started blaming yourself?"

Jed thought for a few moments. "I guess so. My religion – my faith – told me it was wrong to hate – and especially wrong to hate my father. 'Honor your father and your mother.' I didn't like him very much – quite apart from how he treated me. He was a snob and a bigot, he thought he was right about everything and couldn't countenance anyone who disagreed with him. But he was my father – and so I forced myself to respect him – I tried, God knows how I tried. He was my father, I owed him that."

For the first time Abbey looked round at him and he turned his head to look at her too. His eyes showed all the pain of his childhood and he looked so very vulnerable that she just wanted to take him in her arms and make everything all right for him again.

"Jed, how much did your Mom know?" she asked

"What?" His face showed the switch he had to make from John to his mother. "Oh, you mean about–"

"Yes."

Jed gave a small shrug. "She didn't. He never hit me when she was there. And I never told her, I didn't want her to know."

Abbey's face creased with distress. "Jed–"

Jed held up his hands in an almost dismissive gesture. "Oh, maybe she knew that he spanked me from time to time – but all kids got spanked at that time and no-one thought anything of it. But I don't think she ever knew that – that he really lashed out sometimes." He paused for a moment. "Mary said something to me the other day–"

"What?"

"She said my Mom had told her that he was sharp or hurtful when I said or did something that reminded him of Eddy."

"So your Mom knew that?"

"Oh yeah, that happened a lot. Well, you saw it sometimes too, didn't you?"

"Yeah." Abbey nodded, remembered the times when John Bartlet had made some scathing comment to Jed about something he had said or done, even when he had reached adulthood. It had seemed so alien to her, compared to her own father's total support for and pride in everything she had done.

"Mary said something else too – that my Mom wanted him and me to get closer, that she thought that if he could get over his jealousy of Eddy, we could develop a real father-son relationship."

Abbey nodded slowly. "Now I understand," she said.

"Understand what?"

"Why she never told you about Eddy."

"But you said yourself that she was probably sworn to secrecy – and Mary confirmed that, she said that John had didn't want any reminders of Eddy."

"It was more than that, Jed. Your Mom was stronger than that, she wouldn't just have meekly agreed to keep quiet, she'd have told you when you were old enough to understand."

Jed frowned. "So why didn't she?"

"Think about it. She hoped that you and John could get closer, have a real father-son relationship. So if she'd told you about Eddy–?"

Abbey let the words hang and Jed nodded, understanding what she was saying. "Yeah, okay, it would have destroyed that hope, if I'd known about Eddy." He paused for a few moments, then went on. "But it never happened anyway – and I have to take some responsibility for that because I didn't make any real effort – even after my Mom died and he was obviously so lonely." He rubbed his hand over his face then rested his forehead against his hand. "It was after he'd gone that I started to feel guilty about that – but now – now that I know that he wasn't my real father–"

"So now, Jed – what? Now that you know he _wasn't_ your father?"

Jed took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as he leant backwards again. "You're pushing me, Abbey – pushing me somewhere that I'm not sure I want to go."

"I think you need to go there. You're okay with Eddy now, but you do need to deal with John."

He grinned suddenly at her, looking at her under his lashes. "Hey, you're in doctor mode now – and I find that very sexy, in case you didn't already know."

Abbey rolled her eyes. "Don't you dare shut down on me now, Jed Bartlet. I'm not your psychiatrist, I'm your wife."

"And I love you." He reached for her hand and held it in both of his, then gave a small shrug. "Yeah, well, okay, there've been times these last few days when I've had to take a step back–"

"From what?"

"From reaching the point where I could say 'He wasn't my father – I don't need to respect him any more – I can start despising him, hating him for what he did to my childhood.' But it's not quite as simple as that, is it?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure. I just keep thinking that I was the reminder of Eddy – the brother who was so much smarter than he was, the brother who had died, the brother who was hero-worshipped in the family, the brother he was jealous of."

Abbey watched him as his eyes went everywhere, as if searching for an answer that somehow eluded him.

"Put your thoughts into words, Jed," she said gently.

He glanced round at her and gave her a small, almost helpless, smile. "They're all very scrambled at the moment."

"It doesn't matter."

"Okay then – but bear with me, you know I'm not very good at this." He paused for a few moments and then went on slowly, searching for the words to explain his thoughts, "He was trying to bring me up as a son – but I reminded him of Eddy – I reminded him of all his own inadequacies – of his own sense of inferiority compared to his brother. So he tried to make me feel inferior instead – almost as if I was Eddy – he was scornful and sneering about everything I did – and he lashed out when the reminder of Eddy got too big for him to handle–"

"Yes."

Another long pause. "It must have been hell for him," he said, shaking his head slowly.

Abbey's eyes widened in surprise. It was the last thing she had expected him to say. "What – what d'you mean?"

"I'm trying to imagine how I would have felt in the same situation. It must have been almost unbearable for him at times – knowing that part of my mother always belonged to Eddy, and then seeing Eddy resurrected in me."

He put his arm round her and pulled her towards him until her head was resting against his shoulder, and was silent for a few minutes. Then he spoke again. "You want me to sort out my feelings about John Bartlet? I've always thought of him as cold, stern, arrogant, unfeeling, harsh." He drew in a deep breath. "I can't respect him for what he did to me – but I can't hate him either. I can only see him now as a desperately unhappy man – and when I think of what we've had – you and me, and all the happiness we've had together and with the girls – I think – well, I think I actually feel sorry for him, Abbey."

Abbey squeezed his hand hard and bit her lip as her eyes filled again. She couldn't have blamed him for one minute if, once relieved of the need to respect John Bartlet as his father, he had felt free to despise and hate him for what had happened to himself as a child.

But that wouldn't have been Jed – the man who had learned how to love and be loved in equal measure, the man whose heart was so big that he wanted to fix the world, the man whose heart now understood and actually went out in sympathy to the step-father who had abused him, emotionally and physically.

Unconsciously she put her hand up to rest on his chest, feeling that heart's even beating and he covered it with his own hand. Then he looked round at her. "You know, when I became Governor, my biggest regret was that he hadn't lived long enough to see another Bartlet as Governor of New Hampshire. But now – well, now I can only thank God that he didn't live to see me become Governor, and even more to see me become President." He paused for a few moments. "Because that – to use maybe the most ironic metaphor I could possibly use – would have been the biggest slap across the face that I could ever have given him. It would have been the ultimate reminder of all that Eddy might have achieved, of all that he himself could never have achieved." Jed drew in a deep breath and then said quietly, "I'm so glad, so very glad – for _his _sake – that he never had to face that."

Abbey nodded and they sat in silence – because neither of them needed to say anything more. She relaxed as she leant again him, knowing that he had made his peace with John Bartlet…

TBC


	25. Chapter 25

They had a quick supper at the cottage because Jed was still working on the energy papers, and so it was after eight before they finally set off for the pub in Ballykane. Jed had made a deliberate decision to go back to Ballykane – and also to ask Charlie to drive them there, so that he could have a drink.

"This pub please, Charlie," Jed said as they reached Lonergan's on the main street of the small town.

"Jed, are you sure?" Abbey asked. It was the pub where the old man had first told them about Eddy Bartlet.

Jed's eyes met hers and he smiled. "Yeah, I'm sure."

As they got out of the car, Jed turned to the two agents. "Glad to see you're casually dressed, guys – so don't just sit in the car, come into the pub – as long as you sit as far away from us as possible," he added with a grin.

"Yes, sir."

The pub was fairly full, but they found a table in a corner opposite the bar. "What d'you want – red or white?" Jed asked.

"What are you having?"

He grinned. "For the last night in Ireland? It has to be Guinness."

"Okay, so I'll try it too."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

"A pint?"

Abbey laughed. "I guess I'd better try a half to start with."

She watched him go to the bar. In his jeans and dark blue sweater, he looked as far away from the formal President as anyone could imagine. Her mind's eye flashed through the tuxedos and black bowties, the tails and white bowties, the handmade navy suits he favoured, the blue long-sleeved shirts – but this Jed in jeans and sweater was _her_ Jed, informal, casual and relaxed.

"And so damnably sexy," she thought as he came back towards the table with the drinks.

"You were eyeing me up then," Jed said with a grin as he put the drinks down.

"I'm allowed to, aren't I?"

"As long as I can eye you up too."

"I don't recall you ever asking my permission to do that!"

True to form, Jed's eyes appraised the curves in her flecked heather cashmere sweater and then gave her a seductive look.

Abbey slapped the side of his thigh with the back of her hand as he sat down next to her. "Eyeing me up does _not_ mean the same as undressing me with your eyes!"

Jed raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. "Really? I always thought the two things were synonymous."

"That's testosterone thinking! Women can eye a man up and think 'That colour of shirt really suits him' without thinking at the same time of ripping it off him."

"Aww, my way's much more fun!" Jed leaned forward to pick up his glass. "You gonna try your Guinness?"

"Okay." Abbey took a tentative sip. "Mmm, this is – yeah, it's different but it's good."

Jed laughed. "You've got a frothy mustache!"

Abbey wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Well, at least there's no press here to take a photo of me doing that!"

Jed took a long drink and then had to wipe his mouth too. "We'll come back here, Abbey, I promise you." He paused for a moment then looked at her. "Look, this thing on Friday – it's a one-off – I'm just stepping into the breach. It's probably never going to happen again."

Abbey rested her eyes on him. "Jed, it's brought you alive again."

He grinned. "So I died?"

"Yes – yes, you did."

"What?" His eyebrows shot up. "When?"

"When you shook hands with Matt Santos and then got into the car after the Inauguration – when you finally realised it was over."

Jed nodded slowly. "Yeah, you're right." Then "No," he said suddenly, "no, you're not right. What I realised was that that part of my life was over, and that a new life was beginning. Friday is just a blip, sweetheart. When we get home, we can sit down and work it out together – we'll consider the options – and all the offers that have come in – and then we can decide."

Abbey drew in a deep breath. "Is reinstating my licence one of the options?"

Jed's eyes widened. "That goes without saying! Abbey, I know what you gave up. You think I don't remember your birthday party when you told me you were gonna forfeit your license?" He put his arm round her and squeezed her shoulder, recalling how she had shell-shocked him that night. "I could never ever forget that night. Finding out that Rob Nolan was going to recuse – and then you saying that you were voluntarily going to – Abbey, for crying out loud, there's no option about it, I _know_ what it means to you."

She hesitated. "I haven't decided yet."

Jed frowned. "What? I just assumed–"

"If I do reinstate it, it won't be to go back into surgery."

His eyebrows shot up again. "It won't? What then?"

"I don't know – maybe some community clinic–"

"In Manchester?"

"Jed, there are as many problems in Manchester as there are in Washington – maybe they're less obvious, but they're still there."

Jed nodded. "True," he conceded.

"We'll work it out when we get home, Jed. Let's not talk about it now, let's just enjoy tonight."

"Okay." But his grip on her shoulder showed her that he was struggling with this new information.

She glanced across to the door as the two agents came into the bar and nudged him. "Charlie and Mike have just come in."

Jed looked across at the two agents and suppressed a groan. "Why is it that agents always look just what they are even when they're in casuals?"

"Relax, Jed. No-one here has ever seen the Secret Service before, so no-one will think that. Anyway, I think they look okay – in fact that girl over there is eyeing Charlie up already!"

"He has a wife and two kids back in Alexandria – so he'd better behave himself!"

"He's still on duty, Jed – didn't you see the way his eyes scanned the whole bar when he first came in here?"

"I don't envy them their job, I really don't. Those men are trained to put themselves between us and any danger. I can still remember how Ron Butterfield literally threw me into the car at Rosslyn–"

Abbey shuddered. "I hate that word."

"Rosslyn? Yeah. It was scary."

Abbey instinctively reached for his hand. "It was more than scary – when they told me, I think the whole Zapruder thing of Dallas replayed itself in my head." She shuddered again. "Please give me something to take that image away."

Jed understood and squeezed her hand. "Okay, so–" he thought for a moment, "–so how about re-election night then?"

Abbey started laughing. "Sam, then Leo, then Toby interrupting? That was so funny – the look on your face–"

"I was thinking more about what happened _after_ all the interruptions."

"Now why am I not surprised about that? I think I remember a little about it too," she teased. Her mind went back to their fierce and intense lovemaking that night and she gave him a coy look. "Well, you _were_ my Commander-in-Chief – and the ladies liked you to the tune of fifty-eight per cent – so I just added my one per cent."

"You made it a hundred and ten per cent. And I loved it."

"Yeah, so did I – the moment when the most powerful man in the world was totally helpless inside me."

Jed looked at her in surprise. "You really thought that?"

"Power is an aphrodisiac, Jed," she said seductively. Then she laughed. "Idiot! D'you think I really cared at that moment? I don't need any aphrodisiac – just having Jed Bartlet inside me has always been enough for me."

"Mmm." Jed winced slightly and shifted his position on the bench seat.

Abbey shot him an amused grin. "Er – our jeans getting a bit tight, are they?"

He returned the look. "Can I help it if you turn me on with comments like that?"

"I only said–"

"I _know_ what you said."

"So shall we talk about the weather then?"

Jed laughed. "Might be more comfortable!"

Abbey glanced round at the crowded bar. "This is just so good."

"What is?"

"Just – everything. Being here where nobody knows us, being able to sit in a pub like this – I guess I'd forgotten what it was like not being in the goldfish bowl."

Jed nodded and looked around too. "Yeah, it's been a long time since we could do this back home." He looked at her empty glass. "Hey, you downed that pretty fast – want another?"

"Oooh, Mister Prez, are you trying to get me drunk?" she teased.

Jed gave her a sideways look. "Not too drunk, I hope!"

Abbey rolled her eyes. "I can drink with the boys anytime – a pint this time, please."

"You sure?"

"Yes, I like it – it must have triggered off some primeval Irish yearning inside me."

"Whoa, just keep that primeval Irish yearning till we get home tonight – and I'll be right there to satisfy it."

Abbey laughed. "Sure ye will, Danny Boy!"

He grinned. "Don't go away!"

Jed went to the bar and, as he stood waiting for the drinks, realised that he was standing in just the same place as he'd been when the white-haired Irishman had told him about the American submariner who had been his father.

Abbey, watching him, saw his face change, saw the stillness in his features, the far-back look in his eyes. As he sat down beside her again, she said, "What are you thinking?"

Jed gave a small shrug. "I was just thinking that this is where it started, isn't it? I came to Ballykane just to see where my mother had been born and lived – remember how disappointed I was after we'd been in the Post Office? And then by sheer chance – if we hadn't come in here – if that old guy hadn't heard me asking about Michael Egan in the Post Office–"

"You'd never have known about Eddy Bartlet."

"Total chance, wasn't it?" He shook his head slightly. "We think, we plan, we try to get things sorted out in our lives – and then wham, a chance thing happens that turns your whole world upside down. It just hit me that if we hadn't come in here for lunch that day, I'd never have known about my real father."

"And you'vecome a long way since then, Jed."

He nodded. "Yeah." Then, "I'm sorry, this has all been about me, hasn't it?"

Abbey reached out to hold his hand. "It was important to me too. I desperately wanted to help you sort it out. That's why I wanted to come back here to see Mary."

Jed looked at her. "You haven't really told me how you knew about Mary."

"Yes, I did. Only you were in shut-down and wouldn't listen to me." She told him what Rory had said about his grandmother's friend marrying someone called Bartlet. "And somehow I just knew her friend had to be your Mom – and I knew I had to come back here to see her."

"I am so glad you did, more than I could ever tell you." He picked up her right hand and fingered the Claddagh ring. "Friendship, loyalty, love – have I ever told you how very much I love you?"

Abbey smiled. "I think you have, Jed – so we gonna do mushy now or later?"

"Oh, _definitely_ later – but we can do it now too, if you want?"

Jed gave her one of his looks and Abbey laughed. "Depends what sort of mushy you want!"

"I just want to hold you and never let you go." He slipped his arm round her shoulders and hugged her to him. Then he glanced round as there was sudden movement in the bar. "Hello, what's happening here then?"

Three young men and a girl had started to set up amplifiers and speakers.

"I think it's entertainment time." Abbey said.

"Singalong with the Ballykane Balladeers? Hey, hold on, isn't that girl–"

"It's the one from Connolly's."

"What was her name again?"

"Kate."

"Yeah–" Jed drew in a deep breath, "–and she knows who we are. Damn, we should have asked her not to tell anyone until after the weekend. I have a feeling this could be the end of our anonymity."

Abbey looked round at him. "Do you want to leave?"

"Do you? I know you wanted tonight to be just the two of us doing ordinary things. But that could all end in the next few minutes."

"Let's see what happens."

"Okay."

TBC


	26. Chapter 26

Together they watched as the group sorted out the equipment. Kate looked different from the previous evening – her shoulder-length dark hair was loose, not fastened up, and she wore a long dark green skirt and white blouse, with a red and green tartan sash across her shoulder and pinned at the waist. It was when she was adjusting the microphone stand that she looked around the bar briefly, and both Jed and Abbey tensed at the same time as her glance alighted on them both. Recognition in her eyes was followed by a quick smile, as she mouthed 'Hi' and raised her hand slightly to give a small surreptitious wave.

Jed smiled and automatically tapped his heart with his fist and gave her a thumbs-up. Almost imperceptibly she nodded and continued adjusting the microphone.

"That is one very astute and self-possessed young lady," Jed commented in admiration as he started to relax again. "I think this evening's gonna turn out all right after all."

Kate switched on the microphone. "Good evenin' everybody! We hope ye're all goin' to enjoy our music tonight. For those who haven't met us before, we call ourselves 'Galway Campus' because – well, that's where we all live, since we're all students – an' my name is Kate O'Leary. An' before we go any further, there are some very special people here that I'd like to introduce to you–" She shot a quick glance towards Jed and Abbey, and Jed caught his breath in sudden alarm – until Kate turned towards the three young men behind her "–an' of course I mean these three guys behind me – Brendan who plays flute an' whistle, Kevin our fiddler an' Chris on keyboard and accordion, who also does the vocals when I need a break."

As everyone in the bar applauded, Jed grinned round at Abbey. "And that is one little Irish minx too. She was winding us up there!"

Abbey had a broad smile on her face. "She's sassy and smart, and she did that superbly well. I can see why she got along well with Zoey, it's exactly the sort of thing I can imagine Zoey doing."

"Well, I guess we can relax, I don't think she's going to give us away now."

Before long Jed was tapping his foot to the quick beat of the violin music. "This is real Ireland," he said with a smile, squeezing Abbey's shoulder. "An Irish pub, an Irish fiddler, a pint o' Guinness in me hand – and me arm round me darlin' Irish girl."

Abbey laughed at his Irish accent. "Jed, you are such a ham!" Then her eyes softened. "But I'd like to think that Eddy once sat here and said the same to your mother."

Jed's eyes met hers. "Yeah," he said, "So would I. It's a nice thought, isn't it?"

"Another nice thought occurred to me too."

"What?"

"That when Eddy and your Mom first met, they must have felt that same instant connection as you and I did."

Jed nodded slowly. "Yeah." He squeezed her shoulder again, then grinned. "Can you inherit that trait then?"

"Maybe you can. My Mom always said she fell for my Dad the first time she met him."

"There you are then," said Jed. "So maybe it was just our genes leaping into action when we first met?"

Abbey smiled as she looked into his eyes. "Thank heaven for genes then!"

"Yeah." His blue eyes smiled back at hers and held them for a few moments of intimacy before they turned their attention back to the music.

After a couple of Irish dance tunes, Kate went to the microphone again. "Now here's one where ye can all join in the chorus – 'Kilgary Mountain'!"

As she started to sing, Jed and Abbey glanced at each other, almost in surprise. The girl's voice was delightfully Irish, lively and lilting in the quick rhythm of the song. The audience joined in the chorus enthusiastically and after a couple of verses Jed and Abbey both picked up the words, laughing as everyone shouted out the last line of the chorus – 'There's whiskey in the jar!"

A couple more songs followed, and then Kate beckoned to the keyboard player and mouthed something to the other two, who both nodded.

Chris came to the microphone. "One of our favourites," he said. The music began and Jed started to smile. Abbey frowned slightly, not recognising the song. "What is it?" she whispered.

"The Irish Volunteer," he whispered back. "Kate's having fun with us now. Listen."

The song told of the famed 'Fighting 69th' Irish Brigade from New York which had fought in the American Civil War and as Kate moved to the microphone to join Chris in the last verse, she glanced across at them. Jed put his fist to his heart again and Kate smiled as she started to harmonise with Chris' rich voice:

_Now fill your glasses up, my boys, a toast come drink with me,  
May Erin's Harp and the Starry Flag united ever be;  
May traitors quake, and rebels shake, and tremble in their fears,  
When next they meet the Yankee boys and Irish volunteers!'  
God bless the name of Washington! that name this land reveres;  
Success to Meagher and Nugent, and their Irish volunteers!"_

Jed was shaking, trying not to laugh out loud, as everyone joined in the repeat of the chorus and at the end he tilted his head in a smile and slight nod to Kate. Abbey too was smiling. "Definitely sassy and very very smart," she whispered as she joined in the applause.

"An' now we'll come back to Ireland again," Kate was saying. "To Galway – and the Fields of Athenry."

Jed stopped in the middle of reaching to pick up his glass again as Kate started singing the slow and plaintive song, and Abbey put her hand up to the back of her neck. The lively tones had given way to a beautifully pure voice that stilled the whole bar.

"She has the most amazing voice," Jed said as the song ended.

"The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end." Abbey breathed. "That was just beautiful."

Kate sang several more songs, some of which they knew like 'Rose of Tralee' and 'Cliffs of Doneen', and some they didn't but still enjoyed because the girl's voice was so captivating. They both listened and watched as gradually several couples stood up to dance in the small area near the bar, in front of the group.

Then, as Kate started 'If you ever go across the sea to Ireland', Jed stood up and held out his hand to Abbey. "C'mon, they're playing our song."

Abbey followed him and he put his arms round her, pulling her towards him so that his face was resting against her hair and they moved on the spot on the small dance floor. As one song followed another, there was no need to talk. Kate's beautiful and sensuous Irish voice was enough to lull them both into a sense of total contentment in each other's arms.

When she and Chris started to harmonise 'Wild Mountain Thyme', Jed drew Abbey even closer, quietly singing the words into her ear:

_'Will ye go, lassie go,  
And we'll all go together,  
To pull wild mountain thyme,  
All around the purple heather.  
Will you go, lassie, go?'_

He moved his leg slightly so that it was between hers and his thigh pressed against her, sending quivers through her. "Jed, stop it," she whispered.

"Stop what?"

"Turning me to jello."

"I like turning you to jello."

"Okay, but not here. If you go on like this, my knees are gonna melt."

Jed smiled and kissed her hair. "I love it when you melt."

She tried to pull away from him. "Not here, Jed."

"Why? Nobody knows us."

"The agents do – and so does Kate."

He eased her back to him and whispered into her ear. "I like turning you on like this, I love it when you're trying to pretend that you're not getting hot."

"You know damn well that I'm getting hot!" she muttered.

"I love you, Abbey."

Just something in his voice made her turn her head and she looked into his eyes. The overpowering love she saw in his blue eyes shot through her like an electric current and she caught her breath. For a few seconds she struggled to speak, then "Let's go home," she whispered.

Jed half turned and caught Charlie's eye. He gave a slight nod and the agent nodded back. "Couple of minutes, sweetheart. We gotta let the agents go first."

"Okay."

Abbey laid her head against his shoulder and he held her tight as Kate sang the beautiful song 'How can you buy Killarney?'

When the song ended, he released his hold and looked round at the girl. She had stepped away from the microphone and perched herself on a bar stool as the musicians started to play another melody and Chris came up to the microphone. Jed caught hold of Abbey's hand and led her across to where Kate was sitting.

She stood up and smiled at them. "I hope ye've both enjoyed the evening."

"We have – and thank you for keeping the secret."

"I think I learned enough from Zoey to know how much you need the privacy to be yourselves."

"I can't tell you how much we appreciate it. Thanks, Kate." Jed bent over to kiss her cheek lightly.

Abbey took the girl's hand in both of hers. "This has been a very special night for us, Kate – we won't forget it."

"And you really should think about turning professional with that voice of yours," Jed added. "You have an extraordinary gift there."

Kate blushed. "Thank ye – it's just something I enjoy doin' – but my degree will be in Law and that's important to me too."

Jed smiled. "If you ever want a job in the White House Counsel Office, let me know. I think I might still have some influence there."

"Thank ye, sir, I'll remember that. An' it's been so good to meet you again."

"The pleasure's been all ours, Kate."

"Oh, I nearly forgot–" Quickly Kate leaned over to a box on the bar, and pulled out a CD. "Here ye are – a little reminder of Ireland for ye."

Jed looked at the front of the CD and saw that it was one made by the group. He scanned the list of songs and smiled, "You've got all our favourites on this." Quickly he dug into his pocket. "Here, I must pay you–"

"No – no, sir, I don't want anythin'. Think of it as my apology for – well, for teasin' you earlier on."

Jed laughed. "We did notice that! But thanks, Kate, thank you very much, we'll treasure this."

"Oh, and ye'll give my love to Zoey, won't ye?"

"Yes, of course."

With smiles they took their leave and hand-in-hand headed for the door. Outside Charlie and Mike were waiting in the car.

"Give us a few minutes, Charlie," Jed said through the open window.

Holding tightly to Abbey's hand, Jed led her the few yards until they stood across the road from the Post Office. "Mary said that they parked up outside here," he said quietly. "I wonder what they talked about?"

Abbey squeezed his hand. "Everything, Jed, they talked about everything – just like we did when we first met."

Jed nodded. "Politics, religion, literature, music, the world and its problems, their future together–"

"It's so sad to think that they didn't get that future together."

"Yeah. I can't help wondering what my life would have been like with a father like Eddy – just as I can't help wondering what it would have been like if my Mom had decided to come back here to Ballykane when he died."

"I'm so glad that she didn't," Abbey said quietly.

"I might have had an easier childhood," he said ruefully.

"Yes, that's true – but then we'd never have met, would we?"

Jed turned to her. "Yes, we would. There's a Chinese proverb that says 'An invisible red thread connects those destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance.' We were destined to meet, Abbey, we'd have found each other somehow."

She smiled up and him and he leant forward to kiss her lips gently.

Then she said, "I just realised something, Jed."

"What?"

"The assumed names we always travel with when we want to go under the radar."

Jed frowned for a moment, then his face cleared. "Of course," he breathed. "Our second names."

"Edward and Ann – Eddy and Annie?"

Jed drew in a deep breath, then put his arms round her. "I love you so much, Abigail Ann." And in the main street of Ballykane, heedless of anyone who might be watching, he kissed her deeply.

TBC


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Rating for this chapter is NC-17

"Hey, where d'you think you're going?"

Jed caught her arm as Abbey pulled the duvet aside and started to move her legs over the edge of the bed.

She turned back to him. "I thought you were still sleeping."

"I was – but I woke up when you moved away from me. See, I miss you even when I'm asleep!"

Abbey swung her legs back into the bed and turned so that she was facing him, her head resting on her hand. "I was just thinking that I ought to decide what to wear to go to Brussels."

Jed grinned at her. "Now how did I know that was gonna be the first thing you would worry about?"

"Jed, all my clothes here are casual ones, apart from the suit I wore at the Inauguration."

Jed lifted himself so that he mirrored her position and reached out so that his other hand was resting on her hip. "Not a problem, honey – just wear your casuals, there's gonna be a bag of clothes for you on the plane – and hopefully a couple of decent suits and shirts for me too."

Abbey frowned. "And just where are we supposed to change into these clothes? The restroom on the plane?"

"No – in what used to be our bedroom on the plane."

Abbey's eyes widened. "Air Force One?"

"Yep. They're using it to bring Sam and the others over to Europe so Josh has arranged for it to land at Shannon to collect us."

"So that mean we're on duty again as soon as we go up those steps?"

"'Fraid so, sweetheart. As soon as we arrive at Shannon actually – there's no way we can fly under the radar on this one."

"Do we get to fly back to America on Air Force One too?"

"Yeah."

"Oh well, that's something – I wasn't looking forward to airline plastic tray meals!"

Jed laughed. "You're incorrigible!"

"I am, aren't I?"

"Come here." He leant back against the pillow and Abbey moved into her comfort zone, with her head against his shoulder and his arm wrapped around her, his fingers idly twirling the strands of her hair.

"I've been thinking–" he said slowly.

"Oh, dangerous pastime, Josiah!"

"No – seriously. This thing tomorrow has made me realise that I don't actually want to stay in the political arena any more."

Abbey moved her head back to look at him. "Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Jed, you've been in the political arena more than half your life now, you're a politician, you started being a politician when you ran for the Statehouse thirty years ago."

"I'm also an economist, in case you've forgotten."

"So is that what you want to go back to?"

"I don't want to go back to anything, I want to go forward."

"To what?"

"That's what I'm not sure about right now. But you said something the other day that made me think."

"I did?"

"Yeah, you said, 'This is something you feel strongly about' – and it made me start thinking of just what I feel strongly about."

"And?"

"That the sixty four thousand dollar question, isn't it? I feel strongly about so many different things."

"You can't fix everything, Jed."

"You've said that to me before."

"Yes – and I always loved you for trying."

"I still feel that I need to do something more. I think Jimmy Carter must have felt the same – he set up his Carter Centre to advance human rights."

"Is that what you want to do?"

"I don't know – maybe something on the same lines, but not the political stuff that he's still involved with. Something practical, something that will help people, give them hope that things can get better – if not for them, then at least for their children, for the future–" Jed sighed, and shook his head, then gave her a small smile. "I'll get there, Abbey – just give me time."

"The code of our humanity is faithful service to that unwritten commandment that says 'We shall give our children better than we ourselves had.'"

"Who said that?"

Abbey smiled. "You did – years ago, when you were campaigning in New Hampshire."

"Did I? You've got a better memory than I have then! But yeah, I guess I always wanted to make the world a better place for our children and their children."

"You're echoing Eddy there."

Jed nodded slowly. "Yeah." He gave a small smile, then went on, "I wonder what he would think of the world today? His generation won the war against the threat of Hitler's National Socialism, they thought they'd ensured a new era of world peace – but then we spent the next forty years in a Cold War against Communism, we had Korea and Vietnam – and now we've got a whole new war against terrorism. A better world for our children? We're not making a very good job of it, are we?"

"You did what you could, Jed. You got Zahavy and Farad to sit down together and talk."

"While at the same time we were bombing the hell out of Syria."

"The terrorist training camps in Syria – not Syria itself."

"Yeah, okay. You know, I scared myself sometimes at the White House."

"Why? I mean, yes, I know you did – but why in particular?"

Jed thought for a minute. "It was me versus the President at times. I _did_ want to bomb the hell out of Syria when they shot down that plane with Marcus Tolliver – that scared me, feeling like that, feeling white hot with fury. And that was me – not the President – and it scared me – because I could actually have ordered it."

"Leo and Fitz wouldn't have let you do it."

"They didn't let me do it. Fitz painted a scenario of an attack on the airport – and then said the world would see it as – what was he said? – a 'staggering overreaction by a first time Commander-in-Chief.' That was the point when I realised that I had to separate myself into me the person and me the President. It wasn't easy."

"I know."

"It never got any easier either. The times when as President I had to do things that I had to struggle to do – not commuting a death sentence, sending troops into danger areas – and Shareef of course–"

"Jed, don't go there."

Jed looked at her for a long moment then tightened his arm round her, remembering the hell of their long estrangement, when Abbey had taken herself off to the farm, when he'd felt so bereft that it was as if he had lost part of himself. "Please don't ever stop loving me, Abbey," he said suddenly.

She looked up at him and saw the vulnerability in his blue eyes. "I couldn't ever stop loving you," she said softly.

He drew in a deep breath. "I wish we could stay here like this and make love for the rest of the day."

"No can do, babe – what time do we have to leave here?"

"About eleven."

Abbey glanced at the clock at the bedside, then gave him a seductive smile. "Okay, so that gives us about three hours then."

"I could probably last about three minutes right now – but I do like your confidence in my abilities."

She slid her hand down him and then grinned as she felt his erection "My God, you do want it, don't you?"

Jed closed his eyes and groaned as her hand went round him, her fingertips sliding up and down. "Jeez, that is soooo good, just keep doing that to me." Then, with another groan, "No, stop – else I'll come before we've even started."

"What do you want me to do then?"

"Just kiss me."

"Where?"

"NO, not there – oh God–" His body stiffened as she made to go down on him. "Abbey, just give me a minute," he gasped and leant back, his eyes closed.

Abbey smiled to herself as she watched him. She loved it when he was helpless like this – loved knowing that she could still have this effect on him – loved knowing that she only had to touch him again and he would be gone. Just thinking about it sent a hot flame of desire shooting right through her and her whole body stiffened suddenly in response.

She knew he had felt it too. He was breathing heavily, fighting for control. Eventually his eyes opened and he looked up at her. "Goddammit, woman, why do you have this effect on me?"

"Because I'm the sexiest creature alive?" Abbey murmured, repeating the words he had said to her so many times.

"Because you're the sexiest creature alive – and because I love you–" Jed's voice dropped a tone and became husky as he went on slowly, "–and because any minute now I'm gonna come inside you – and take you right up to the top of the cliff – and hold you there on the edge – and then we're both gonna fall over the edge together."

Abbey felt her whole body melting at his words, knew that the sensations racing through all her nerve endings had already started that ascent, but she pretended to be casual. "Sounds okay to me."

His crystal blue eyes were a mixture of love and lust as looked up at her. "You ready for the cliff edge then?"

Another wild spasm shot through her and she knew that the same look would be in her own eyes. "You know you turn me on when you talk like that."

"Like what?"

Now he was tormenting her and her body was taking over, her skin getting hot and starting to tingle. "When – when you tell me what you want to do," she managed to whisper.

"You like me telling you?" he asked, his voice low and so sexy – so incredibly sexy. "Telling you how much I love to hold your breasts? – feel your nipples harden? – trail my fingers down you? – until I reach your thighs – and then–" Again her body responded and with a groan she dropped her head back on to the pillows.

"I think – I think I might just like it even more when you do it," she said, then drew in her breath as she felt his hand on her breast.

"Here?" he asked softly. "Or here…Or here?" His hand moved to her other breast, then down to her stomach, then slowly, torturously, started sliding further down. Abbey knew that she was at the point where he'd been just a few minutes before – one more touch and she would be gone.

"Jed – please–"

Jed recognised the desperation in her voice and moved to lift himself above her. She looked up – looked into those intense blue eyes and knew that she was already on the edge, her body aching for him and the release he could bring her.

His eyes looked down at her, almost apologetically now. "I can't promise that I can hold this for very long, sweetheart."

"Neither can I," she breathed. As he slid inside her, she felt herself quivering with the building climax inside her. "Neither can I," she repeated with a short gasp.

As soon as he started moving on her, she knew that she was seconds away from losing everything. "Jed!" she cried as all her senses raced towards the release. No need for the frantic search for that release, it was coming just because he was there, deep inside her. "Oh – oh God – oh yes – Jed! – Je - ed!"

Jed felt her contractions pulling against him and was propelled straight into his own mind-blowing release as he groaned her name over and over…

"I guess I was right about those three minutes, wasn't I?" he said casually when they finally came back to earth again and she collapsed into helpless laughter.

At eleven o'clock they were both ready when the two black cars pulled up outside the cottage.

"Here they are," Jed said, holding Abbey's dark brown coat for her to slip on over her black trousers and dark red sweater. She turned back to him, pulling her hair away from the collar, and he started to fasten the buttons for her.

"Well, I suppose this makes a change from _un_dressing you, doesn't it?" he said with a chuckle.

Abbey started to make her way towards the door but Jed's voice stopped her.

"Abbey–"

She turned. He'd walked over to the window and was standing looking out at the bay He held out his hand to her and she went back to join him.

She knew what he was thinking. "We'll never forget this week, will we, Jed?"

"No, I guess we won't." He looked at her. "It's not been the peaceful kind of week I anticipated when I booked the cottage for us – but it's certainly been a week that I will never ever forget."

"Me too. I love you, Jed."

"And I love you." He leant forward to kiss her gently, then released her as the expected knock came on the door. "Okay, let's go for it, sweetheart."

TBC


	28. Chapter 28

Once they were in the back of the car, with the driver and the agent in the front, Jed caught hold of her hand. "Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose."

"Your French accent's getting better, Josiah! And yes, I can feel the deja vu experience too."

"Just a week since we slipped into anonymity in this car, and now–" he gave a small shrug, "we can't ever go back now to how we were before all this, can we?"

"We made that decision – a long time ago. We knew what it would mean when you decided to run for President."

"Yeah. But we can still sneak away for time on our own, can't we?"

"With the Secret Service on our heels?"

"I could have declined the protection."

"But you didn't."

"No."

"Qumar?"

"Yes. The world's changed, hasn't it? It's become a much more frightening place because of terrorism. Matt Santos is gonna have to make some tough decisions these next four years."

"All Presidents have to make tough decisions."

"Truman had the hardest decision."

"Hiroshima?"

"Yes." Jed leaned back against the seat. "At least I didn't have to make that sort of decision. Or JFK's about the Cuban missiles, or LBJ's about Vietnam or Jimmy Carter's about the Iran hostages. Come to think of it, I had a pretty easy time really."

Abbey's eyes widened. "You did _not_ have an easy time!"

Jed thought for a moment. "Actually, it was all the small things that were sometimes the hardest – a couple of votes down in the House – things like that sent the staff scurrying round like crazy!"

"What were the best moments, Jed?"

"Whoa, that's quite a question! Can I take a raincheck on that while I think about it?"

"You mean that the best moments outweigh the hard times?"

Jed looked round at her. "Yes – yes, they really do. I only have to think about them all – Leo, CJ, Josh, Sam, Toby, Charlie – and I know that I was so blessed to have them all. The first term was the best – we had so much fun together sometimes. The second term was harder."

Abbey nodded. "I know."

They were silent for a few moments, then Jed squeezed her hand. "Hey, come on – we're looking back now, we should be looking forward."

"I'm looking forward to being at the farm again."

"They had a bad ice-storm in New Hampshire last week."

"Yeah, and Liz said they've got about eight inches of snow in Manchester at the moment."

"You called her again? You didn't tell me."

"Sorry, it was while you were working yesterday afternoon. But it was just to let her know we would be home on Saturday – we couldn't talk much because she was in a shop somewhere."

"Is she okay?"

"She certainly seems to be. We'll know better when we see her again. Oh, and I did say that if they were planning to have the postponed welcome home party they should leave it until Sunday, because we'll be jet-lagged on Saturday."

"What did she say?"

"She just said 'Okay' – but I got the feeling that she wasn't telling me something. So heaven knows what they are planning."

Jed glanced through the car window so that Abbey wouldn't see the smile he was trying to hide. Quick, change the subject, he thought to himself. "We won't be all that jet-lagged on Saturday actually – it's easier flying west than flying east."

"Tell me about it!" Abbey groaned. "Flying east is hell – even flying back from California to DC used to knock my body clock out of synch."

"That's because our body clocks are programmed to operate on a day that's longer than twenty-four hours, so we can extend the day – but find it much more difficult to reduce the day."

"Anyone coming over on Air Force One right now will tell you that it's simply because they have missed a proper night's sleep! What time would they have left DC – midnight?"

"Yeah, about that."

"Brussels is an hour ahead of us, right?"

"Yeah."

"So we get to go to bed an hour earlier tonight?"

Jed looked round at her and started laughing. "I suppose you could say that. Now there's a thought I can carry with me for the rest of the day!"

"Where are we staying?"

"Never thought to ask Josh about that. Meridien, Hilton, Radisson? Hotels are the same the world over. Can't even remember where I stayed the last time I was in Brussels. They'll have taken over some hotel somewhere."

"You gonna have to work this evening?"

"I'll need to meet with various people – but after that the evening's our own. It's tomorrow night we have a reception."

"Casual or formal?"

"Formal. It's a tux thing at the Embassy."

"Just hope I can find something to wear in those shops in Brussels then."

"I have no doubt that you will – and bankrupt us in the process. Don't forget I'm unemployed now!"

"I'll use the charge card – and then we can decide later whether we need to hock the farm to pay the account."

Jed grinned. "I'd rather see you in jeans and sweater any day."

"You'd rather see me in nothing any day!"

"Well, yes, that goes without saying, of course. But I can get turned on by you wearing one of your – er – special garments – and wearing one of my shirts – and that red bikini's okay too – and – oh, what the hell, I get turned on by whatever you're wearing!" He gave her a sideways look. "But if you're gonna buy anything, buy something low cut, will you?"

Abbey returned the look. "My magnificent breasts?"

Jed let out a guffaw of laughter. "Oh God – Lord John!"

Abbey laughed too. "He always knew how to get to you, right from when we first met him. Remember when–? "

"Yeah, I know exactly what you're going to say – the first time I brought him back to our flat in London – and when we walked in you were breastfeeding Elizabeth – and even before I could introduce you, he just said, 'Good God, what magnificent breasts you have!'"

"And your face was an absolute picture, I don't think I've ever seen you so lost for words!"

"What a character! And it was the way he could get to Leo as well, calling him Gerald, pretending to think he was the butler, and Leo got so pissed off about that."

Jed's face suddenly stilled, and Abbey looked at him. "You miss him, don't you?" she said gently.

Jed's eyes met hers. "Desperately. I still can't believe he's gone. That man was my rock, I loved him so much." He had to look away and blink a few times before he looked back at her and gave her his small smile.

Abbey understood and put her hand on his knee.

"We're getting near to Shannon now," Jed said, quickly looking out of the window. "And if I'm not mistaken, that's Air Force One coming in to land."

They both watched as the aircraft descended ahead of them, finally disappearing behind the trees that lined the road they were travelling on.

"A few minutes more and we're back on duty, honey."

Abbey turned to him, put her hand round his neck and pulled him over to kiss him, a long and passionate kiss which, after his initial surprise, he responded to with equal passion.

"Whoa, what did I do to deserve that?" he said eventually.

"You're Jed Bartlet – you're the man I love with every fibre of my being – and I just want you to remember that while we go all formal and on our best behaviour again."

His eyes softened as he looked at her. "How could I ever forget it?"

"Dammit, Jed, don't look at me like that – or I might just have to rip all your clothes off and have you right here in the car."

"Too late, sweetheart, we're here." But his hand reached out to grip hers and she knew that he was feeling exactly the same. Then he laughed. "But at least we can go to bed an hour earlier tonight!"

The car swung into the airport grounds and travelled around the terminal building, finally coming to a stop on the tarmac close to the stairway of the large blue and white aircraft with its Presidential seal.

Jed glanced at Abbey. "Two days and we'll be back at the farm."

"I think I can hack it for two days."

"Okay, you ready?"

Abbey drew in a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm ready."

They got out of the car to be greeted by the airport's General Manager and a couple of local dignitaries, whilst press cameras flashed from a group of local journalists. As they reached the top of Air Force One's steps, Jed did his customary turn to the press and raised his hand in a wave, then put his arm round Abbey as she joined him.

"Bet they're all cursing that they hadn't got wise to the fact before now that we were actually in Ireland!" he said to her.

Abbey smiled and waved to the cameras too, and then they both turned and went aboard. Air Force One's captain, Mike Hewitt, was at the doorway and saluted. Jed returned the salute out of habit and Abbey smiled at him and said, "I think I've forgiven you, Mike – it was a good vacation."

Mike grinned. "I'm glad to hear that, Mrs Bartlet."

Jed glanced back at him. "Can I still do my thing, Mike?"

"Yes, sir," Mike replied with a smile. "Just give me a couple of minutes to get back to the cockpit."

Jed led Abbey through to the conference area of the plane, where a sun-tanned Sam Seaborn was waiting to greet them. "It's good to see you again, Mr President."

Jed shook his hand warmly. "You too, Sam. You glad to be back in the West Wing?"

"Like a home from home – well, except that you're not there, sir. We miss you."

"Sam!" Abbey said, reaching up to kiss his cheek. "It's so good that you're here with us – and I want to hear all about your fiancée, of course."

Sam grinned, the same boyish grin that she remembered. "I don't have any problem with that, ma'am – any time you have a couple of hours to spare!"

More greetings followed, the Secretary of Energy, the Chairman of the House Committee on Energy, several Congressmen and a couple of Senators.

Then Jed turned to the phone on the bulkhead behind them. "This might be the last time I get to do this!" He picked up the phone. "This is the Pres– er– this is the _former_ President. We're ready to go." He waited for a moment until they heard the engines roar into life, then grinned at Abbey. "Now _that_ was always one of my favourite moments."

They stayed in the conference room until the plane had taken off and then, once the seat-belt lights went off, they made their way up to the Presidential suite at the front of plane.

When they reached the door, Jed caught hold of Abbey's hand and drew her back. "I think you might have a little surprise in store."

"Surprise? What?"

"Go in and find out."

Abbey opened the door of the lounge and then stopped. Liz, Ellie and Zoey turned from their seats then stood up to greet their mother.

"Oh!" Abbey gasped, and rushed forward to hug her daughters. When she finally untangled herself from their embrace, she looked round at Jed.

He was smiling. "I figured you might need some company for your shopping trip," he said.

Abbey stood there looking at him. Finally she said, "Jed Bartlet, I love you so very much." She moved towards him and reached up to kiss him. He took her in his arms and the kiss turned into a long and passionate one.

Zoey rolled her eyes and grinned at her sisters. "Must have been a good second honeymoon, I guess!"

TBC


	29. Chapter 29

"Well, this is very nice," Abbey said, surveying the luxurious sitting room of the Royal Suite at the hotel.

Jed wandered across to the window with its lush blue and gold drapes and looked out over the rooftops at the spires and turrets of the Grand Place in the centre of Brussels. "The view's all wrong," he said.

Abbey took off the jacket of the dark purple suit that she'd changed into on the plane, eased off her shoes and joined him at the window. "What's wrong with it?"

"It's not Galway Bay," he said softly.

She slid her hand into his and he looked round and smiled at her, then he gave a small shrug. "Anyway, what did you and the girls talk about on the plane while I was meeting with Sam?"

"Not a lot really – we kept getting interrupted with the stewards and drinks and lunch. I asked Liz if she wanted to talk about Doug but she said to leave it till later. They wanted to know all about the cottage and where we'd been."

"Did you tell them about–?"

"No – no, of course not – I told them we'd been to Ballykane – but nothing – not the rest of the story. I knew that you would want to do that."

Jed nodded. "Yes – they do need to know, don't they? That their grandfather wasn't – that Eddy was their real grandfather. I'll have to choose the right moment for that."

"Yeah. It'll be a shock for them – but they'll be okay with it. Only Liz can remember your Mom – Ellie was only three when she died, so she won't remember her. And they didn't really see much of John Bartlet either."

"Only when we had to," Jed admitted. "Birthdays and Thanksgiving and so on." He looked at her. "I'm not sure that I want to go into – well, into my childhood – with them though."

"They know, Jed – well, they know a little bit."

"You told them?"

"Only a little. It was a long time ago – one Christmas. Ellie was about eight and she asked me why you got along so much better with my parents than you did with Grandpa Bartlet. She'd noticed that you laughed and joked around so much with my Dad, but that you were totally different with John."

"Yeah, Ellie's the one who would notice things like that, isn't she? What did you tell her?"

"I sat Ellie and Liz down together – Zoey was too young at that point – and explained that John hadn't treated you very well when you were a child – that he'd been very strict and stern – and that as a result you didn't really have a very good relationship with him."

"And they accepted that?"

"Yes. Maybe as they got older, they read between the lines more, but they've never said or asked anything more. Zoey's never asked either, so maybe Ellie or Liz told her."

"Okay."

Abbey squeezed his hand. "Okay. So what meetings do you have this afternoon?"

Jed glanced at his watch. "Peter Rosen at four, Tom Grundy and the House Committee at five, and the Senators at six. I should be finished by seven."

"You're free after that?"

"Unless Sam wants to go over the speech for tomorrow afternoon. I've given him my draft."

"You go and freshen up then and I'll just call the girls and ask them to come up here later – I'm sure we can have fun with that champagne and the fruit and those delicious Belgian chocolates over there on the table!"

Jed gave her a quick kiss, slipped off his jacket then headed for the bedroom. Just as Abbey was about to pick up the phone, he called to her. "Abbey – come here!"

Frowning slightly, Abbey went through to the bedroom, her eyes only briefly taking in the chocolate brown and soft beige of the décor, and stepped into the bathroom. Jed was standing there with a broad grin on his face.

"What's the matt – oh!" There at one side of the large marble bathroom was a sunken hot tub. "Oh wow," she said and sidled up to him. "Maybe I'd better hide the champagne and the chocolates from the girls – we might need them later?"

"What's wrong with now?" Jed asked and she saw the glint in his eye.

"Because you have a meeting with Peter Rosen in – what? – just over twenty minutes – and if I'm gonna go into that hot tub with you, I need more time than that!"

He shot her a mischievous look. "More than three minutes?" he asked and then laughed as she started to blush.

She moved away from him before the thought became too tempting. "Cold shower time, Jed!"

He pulled her back and brought his mouth down on hers with a soft kiss that threatened to inflame her, and she had to push him away. "Cold shower, gumdrop!" she called with a laugh as she scooted out of the bathroom.

With a sigh and a longing look at the hot tub, Jed started to take off his shirt and pants. "How am I supposed to concentrate on all those meetings now that I know I have a Jacuzzi waiting for us?" he called after her.

"Same as you always do, babe!"

Abbey went back into the sitting room, then picked up the phone and dialled the number of the girls' room. It was Zoey who answered. "Hi, Mom, how's your room?"

"Suite," Abbey corrected her, "we're in the Royal Suite – complete with champagne, fruit and choc–" She stopped as she heard a loud yelp from the bathroom.

"What was that?" Zoey asked.

"That–" Abbey started laughing. "That was your father stepping into a cold shower."

"You don't have any hot water?" Zoey asked in surprise.

"Zoey, your father's having a cold shower – think about it!"

"Oh!" Zoey said, and Abbey could visualise her daughter's face going red. "Oh – right."

"Sorry, sweetheart, I didn't mean to embarrass you. Anyway, do you want to come up here? I need someone to share the champagne and chocolates with me once your Dad goes off to all his meetings. Around four o'clock, okay?"

"Okay, that sounds good. See you soon then."

Abbey was inspecting the contents of the private bar in the suite and making a mental note to order some more champagne for later on that evening when Jed came through from the bedroom.

She looked round at him mischievously. "How was the shower?"

"Cold," he said ruefully. He glanced at his watch then picked up his briefcase. "I gotta go, honey – I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Are we eating in here this evening?"

"It's up to you – I think some of the others may be going out on the town."

"We'll eat here," she said with a smile.

Jed grinned. "Good!" He leant over to kiss her cheek and then he was gone. Abbey went through to the bedroom to unpack their bags and to hang up Jed's suit bags.

It was a few minutes after four o'clock when Liz, Ellie and Zoey burst into the suite, all of them giggling like teenagers.

"What's so funny?" Abbey asked, returning to the sitting room.

"We've just been down to the shops in the lobby–" Liz began.

"And there's a really cute lingerie shop–" Zoey burst out laughing again.

Ellie struggled to control her giggles. "And you'll never guess who we saw in there!"

"Just so long as it wasn't your father, I think I'm unshockable."

"It was that stuffy old Senator what's-his-name!" said Zoey.

"Anderson," Liz prompted.

"And we couldn't see properly – but it looked like he was buying a – a–" Ellie couldn't go on for laughing.

"A black lacy teddie!" Zoey shrieked with laughter again, Liz and Ellie were both shaking and Abbey too started to laugh.

"Well, well, so there's life in the old dog after all!" she commented.

"Mom, he must be at least eighty!"

"If your Dad is still buying me black lacy teddies when he's eighty, I'll be highly flattered."

Zoey stopped laughing and looked at her. "_Still_ buying you – you mean, he–"

Abbey shrugged. "Well, I doubt that he would go into a hotel lingerie shop himself – but he has been known to send one of the staff to that very nice shop on M Street."

"Not 'Victoria's Secret'?" said Ellie, wide-eyed.

"You're kidding!" Liz gasped.

"No I'm not – well, okay, that only happened once, the rest of time he ordered things from the catalogue." She laughed at their faces. "Oh, come on, girls, get real! Your father's a _man_, for heavens' sake – with very healthy levels of testosterone! And I'm saying no more than that!" She turned towards the bar. "Okay, you want champagne or wine?"

"Champagne!" said Liz and Zoey simultaneously.

"Iced water for me," said Ellie ruefully.

"Good girl," Abbey said with an understanding smile. "Just think how good you'll feel when the rest of us all have outsize hangovers tomorrow!"

"Yeah," Ellie said, unconvinced.

"So come on, guys, let's decide what shops we're going to visit tomorrow and what we want to buy–"

After they'd spent ages discussing the merits and demerits of various designers, fabrics, styles and colours, Abbey remembered that she needed to look at the dinner menu. "Do you want to eat here with us this evening?" She saw Liz and Zoey glance at each other. "Is there a problem?"

"What time are you going to eat?" Liz asked.

"Probably about seven thirty. You got other plans?"

"Well–" Liz hesitated.

"Sam said that he and a few of the staff were going to a really good bar near the Grand Place – they've been there before," Zoey explained.

"I'm not going," Ellie said. "I didn't get a lot of sleep on the plane – I'm having an early night."

"What time are they going out?" Abbey asked.

"About nine o'clock," Liz replied.

"No problem then – I'll order dinner for seven thirty, that will give you plenty of time. Now where's the menu?"

While they studied the menu, Zoey went off to the bathroom, and then they heard her call out, "Oh wow!"

As Liz and Ellie looked round, Abbey laughed. "I guess Zoey has just discovered the hot tub."

Ellie sighed. "Something else I'm not allowed!"

"Not in the first trimester, no," Abbey agreed. "What are you now, Ellie? Seven weeks? And you said that the scan last week showed the heartbeat?"

"Yes – I wanted to wait for that before I told anyone."

"It's a very good sign. In fifty percent of pregnancies the heartbeat can't be seen until at least the seventh or eighth week. Did you ask about flying?"

"Yes, of course I did, but once my obstetrician knew I was going on Air Force One and there would actually be a bed for me to sleep in – as well as a full medical unit on board – she just laughed and said, 'You're as safe there as you are down here on the ground then'."

"We're going to have to watch you on the return flight – that's a daytime flight. You'll need to–"

"It's okay, Mom – I know all the advice – wear flight socks, walk around a lot, drink plenty of water. I'll be fine."

Zoey came back into the sitting room. "Wanna go skinny dipping, you two?"

"I'm not allowed to – but I'll sit and watch," Ellie said.

"Is it okay, Mom?" Zoey asked.

"Be my guest! And Ellie, you come out of the bathroom if it gets too warm in there."

"I will – stop worrying, Mom!"

"Mothers always worry – it comes with the role." Abbey said with a smile.

"You coming, Liz?" Zoey asked.

"In a minute."

As Zoey and Ellie went back through the bedroom to the bathroom, Abbey looked across at her eldest daughter. "You want to talk, Liz?"

TBC


	30. Chapter 30

"I couldn't tell you much on the phone, I just want to explain what happened."

"Let me get you another drink."

"I tried, Mom, I really did try."

"I know you did, honey."

"After the thing with Naima, he promised – he _promised_ it would never happen again."

Abbey went back to the couch with the two glasses of champagne and Liz took hers and gulped a little of it. Then she went on, "But it couldn't have been more than a month before he was in bed with Paula Richards. She was his campaign secretary – another blonde of course – maybe he was on the rebound from Naima – but of course I was the last to know." She paused and then gave a frustrated sigh. "I supported him all through that campaign, I did everything I could – that last month before the election I think I went to every town in the district for him – and I had no idea, though I guess everyone else on the campaign staff knew what was going on."

"So when did you find out?"

"Election Day."

"How?"

"I walked into the campaign office – and they were there – and it was obviously not a kiss on the cheek between friends–"

"Oh, sweetheart–" Abbey's heart ached for her. "What did you do?"

Liz shrugged. "I just walked out again!"

"So what happened after that?"

"Well, as you know, it was a crushing defeat – and while we were watching the numbers coming in, I realised that I was thinking 'I'm glad he's gonna lose, I'm glad.'"

Abbey shook her head slowly. "I never realised – I knew that you looked shell-shocked that night – but I thought it was because of the numbers – I just never realised–"

Liz looked at her. "I couldn't tell you anything that night – I hadn't even faced Doug with it then – but I knew that it was all over, that I couldn't forgive him a second time."

"So when did you tell him?"

"The next day, after you'd gone back to Washington. I told him that it was finished, that I was going to divorce him – but that there was no way he was gonna leave before January 20th."

"Your Dad was very touched when he knew about that, you know."

"Yeah – well, that was the least I could do. I just felt so guilty that I'd tried to get Dad up to New Hampshire to support him when I knew – or at least I guessed – that the press knew about his affair with Naima – and that was when I didn't have a clue about Paula – I'm not sure if the press also knew about that at the time. But the whole thing could have blown up in our faces – in Dad's face. I don't know what the hell I was thinking of. And now I owe CJ an apology."

"CJ?"

"Yeah, I blasted her after she made Doug to go the Political Affairs Office and tell them that he didn't want Dad in New Hampshire. She was protecting Dad, I wasn't – I was so intent on trying to save my marriage that it blinded me to everything else. And now I've got to live with that – but anyway, that was why I told Doug he was not going to leave until after Dad had left office."

"And he agreed?"

Liz gave a short laugh. "The way I told him, he didn't have any other option!"

Abbey smiled. "That's my girl! But it can't have been easy?"

"The last two months have been hell. You could have cut the atmosphere with a knife – and I knew he was still seeing Paula. We were living in the same house but we were a million miles apart. I'm surprised you didn't you notice it at Christmas."

Abbey thought back. "You covered it pretty well, actually."

"Yeah, well, I told Doug that he had to be a better actor than any Hollywood star for the duration of Christmas."

"Maybe he's got a future in Hollywood then?"

Liz laughed, though not without a shade of bitterness. "I guess he'd love all the bimbos there."

"Oh Lizzie," Abbey said with a sigh, then, "So how do you feel about it all now?"

"Relieved – well, relieved the hell of the last two months is over. But sad too – and guilty."

"Guilty? Why?"

"Because I failed."

Abbey drew in a deep breath. "Liz, the failure wasn't yours, it was Doug's. You fought for your marriage, Doug didn't."

"I guess it's pretty hard to accept that your marriage has failed. But you wouldn't know about that, would you? You and Dad–"

"Liz, my marriage to your father has nothing to do with this."

"Oh yes it has."

"What d'you mean?"

"Don't you think that all three of us want a marriage like yours? After nearly forty years you still love each other – and I don't mean just the comfortable life-partner thing – I mean you're still _in _love with each other – we all know that."

"I've been lucky, Liz."

Liz shook her head. "It isn't luck, Mom – it's something very special."

Abbey looked at her daughter and nodded. "Yes, it is. And I am just so sorry that it hasn't worked out the same for you and Doug."

"Doug's not Dad, and I'm not you."

"No, you're not me, but you _are_ your Dad – you're the politician in your family, not Doug."

"Dad said that to me once."

"So why did you let Doug run?"

"Because it was what he wanted."

Abbey gave a small shrug. "Liz, he wanted it for all the wrong reasons," she said quietly, then drew in her breath. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that, it's not my place to criticise Doug."

Liz looked back at her. "It's not a criticism – it's the truth."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I guess I knew that all along."

"Yet you agreed – you supported him–"

Liz nodded. "He was my husband. It was what he wanted. I thought we were a team – that we could pool our different skills – that this was something that we could do together – as husband and wife. And even after Naima, I thought we could salvage something." She tightened her mouth and struggled for a moment, forcing back tears. "I really wanted our kids to be able to look up to him – just as we all did – do – to Dad."

The tears suddenly welled up in Liz's eyes and Abbey's face contorted with emotion. "Oh Lizzie–" She stood up and moved across to the couch where Liz was sitting, and put her arm round her.

Liz leant against her. "It was the second affair, Mom – I knew then that I'd never be able to trust him again. I couldn't send Paula away like I did with Naima, but I knew that even if he broke with her, there'd be another Naima or another Paula."

Abbey nodded slowly as she held her daughter tightly. "Yeah – yeah, you're probably right there." She let the silence go on for a few moments then said, "So what now, sweetheart?"

Liz lifted her head from her mother's shoulder. "I guess I go on being a mother to my kids – and maybe, just maybe, when Gus goes to High School, I'll run for the Statehouse."

Abbey's squeezed her arm. "And you would run for the right reasons, Lizzie. You've already gotten yourself involved in issues and groups that show you care deeply about people."

Liz managed a small smile. "Is that an inherited trait then?"

Abbey looked at her for a long moment and then nodded. "Yes, it is – and more than you actually realise at the moment." Not just your father, she thought, but your grandfather too.

"What d'you mean?"

"I'll let your Dad tell you more about that. But for now, how about you just go and join your sisters and have some fun – they sound as if they're having a ball in the bathroom!"

Liz grinned suddenly at the shrieks of laughter coming from the bathroom as Ellie and Zoey shared some joke. She looked back at her mother. "I'm okay, Mom, honestly I am. I can deal with this."

Abbey nodded. "I know you can. You're so strong, Liz – and somewhere, sometime, you're gonna find someone who values your strength – and doesn't just lean on it."

"Yeah, maybe." Liz made to stand up but then sat down again. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can."

Liz hesitated. "You can tell me it's none of my business, that I've overstepped the line – but after – after Zoey was kidnapped and we found out about Abdul Shareef and you went back to the farm for all that time, did you ever stop loving Dad?"

"No." Abbey's reply was immediate, then she relaxed. "Okay, I hated what he had done – and what happened to Zoey as a result – and I was hurt, very hurt and very confused too, that he hadn't told me about it before, that he hadn't shared with me the agony he must have gone through before ordering that assassination – and that I had to hear about it from the TV and not from him – but–" she held up her hands in the acceptance that she had finally reached, "–he was the President, Liz, he _had_ to make decisions like that, he had to separate the man from the office. And – well, it was the man that I loved, not the President. And in the end that was the most important thing – because I knew that I couldn't ever stop loving him."

Liz looked at her. "Would you still love him if he had had an affair?"

"He–" Abbey stopped abruptly. She had been about to say that Jed would never do that, but she knew it was not what Liz wanted to hear. Instead she shook her head. "Political expediency is one thing, Liz – but emotional betrayal – infidelity – is a whole different ball game. I – well, I guess I would have lost all respect for him."

"Yeah," Liz nodded. "That sums it up – I guess I've just lost all my respect for Doug." She stood up and gave a small smile. "I think I need to go have some fun with Ellie and Zoey now."

Abbey smiled back at her. "I think you do too, darling."

As Liz disappeared through the bedroom door, Abbey thoughtfully sipped the rest of her champagne. She heaved a sigh. Why, she thought, didn't anyone ever tell you just how hard it was at times being a mother? She sat for a few minutes, then put down her glass and went through to the bathroom.

"Okay, you guys, now tell me what you're all laughing about!"

It was just after seven o'clock when Jed came back to the suite. Abbey was on the couch with her feet up looking through one of the glossy tourist magazines about Brussels.

"I was kinda hoping I might find you in the hot tub," he said with a grin.

"Patience is a virtue, Jed."

"Then it's not one of my virtues. Come on–" He held out his hand to her but she shook her head.

"The girls are coming back up here for dinner in about ten minutes – and I've already shocked them once today, so I'm not intending to do it again by being caught _in flagrante delicto!_"

Jed sighed. "Okay, I guess we'll have to wait a while longer then." He took off his jacket and loosened his tie and the top button of his shirt, then sat down next to her. "How did you shock them?"

"By letting slip that you ordered stuff from 'Victoria's Secret'," Abbey said with a grin.

Jed laughed. "I thought that was one of the West Wing's worst kept secrets. Even Mrs Landingham knew I had the catalogue in one of the drawers of the desk in the Oval."

Abbey's eyes widened. "Oh, I didn't realise that! I bet her face was a picture when she discovered it!"

"Yeah, it was. The drawer was open when she came across to give me a file, and she glanced down and then said, 'I really do not think that is a very – suitable item to have in the Oval Office, Mr President." Jed did a perfect imitation of Mrs Landingham's voice, and then laughed. "I felt like I was sixteen again!"

Abbey laughed too. "Yeah, I can believe that."

Jed leant back against the couch. "There was another time when I'd left that damned catalogue on the top of the desk when I was having a meeting with the Christian Right – and I suddenly realised it was there, and was trying to signal to Leo to do something – and he finally got the message and slid some papers over it. But he was grinning so much that Al Caldwell said, 'You find this pro-life conversation amusing, Mr McGarry?' – and I had the devil's own job of trying to keep a straight face!"

They were both still laughing when the girls came into the sitting room.

"What's funny?" Zoey asked.

Jed looked round. "Your Mom asked me earlier today about the best times of the last eight years, so I was telling her one of them."

"You gonna tell us then?" said Liz.

Jed exchanged a quick glance at Abbey and then grinned. "Well, maybe not that one!"

Abbey stood up and crossed to the phone and dialled the room service number. "Could you send the stewards now please?" she said, and then added, "And we'd like a couple more bottles of champagne too."

They waited while two stewards, using the service door to the dining area, set the large table and then when everything was prepared and the heated trolleys had been brought in, Jed stood up. "Thanks very much, guys – we'll sort it out for ourselves now."

As they moved across to the table, Abbey said suddenly, "Oh, just a minute–"

She disappeared into the bedroom and came back a few moments later with a CD which she put into the hi-fi unit. "I think you might be interested in this, Zoey."

They sat down at the table – Jed and Abbey on one side and the three girls on the other – as the CD started with 'Wild Mountain Thyme'."

Zoey frowned as she listened. "Why me?"

"Recognise the voice?" Jed said, at the same time reaching for Abbey's hand under the table. She looked round at him and the colour started to rise to her cheeks, as she remembered the previous evening when they'd been dancing together to the same song.

Zoey shook her head, still mystified. "Should I?"

"Kate?" Abbey queried. "Kate O'Leary?"

Zoey's eyes widened. "Kate? You mean that's Kate?"

"Aye, for sure, it is indeed," Jed said, imitating Kate's Irish accent with a smile.

"So how – why–?"

As they ate, Jed and Abbey together told the story of how Kate had recognised them at Connolly's and then teased them at Lonergan's in Ballykane.

Zoey laughed. "Oh, I can just imagine Kate doing that. She was such fun, we got along so well. But I can hardly believe that you actually met her! We emailed each other for a while after she went back to Ireland, but then we sort of lost contact – she took a year out to do some voluntary work with street kids in – um, Romania, I think it was. I really must email her again now!"

The conversation drifted round to other reminiscences about Ireland, and Abbey proudly showed off her Claddagh ring and explained its meaning.

"Just make sure you don't wear it the wrong way round then, Mom," said Liz with a laugh. "Else Dad might get worried!"

"Never," said Jed and lifted Abbey's hand to kiss the ring gently.

Liz glanced round at her sisters. "Maybe this is our hint to get the hell out of here!" she said with a laugh.

Abbey glanced at her watch. "What time are you and Zoey going out on the town?"

"You're going out?" Jed asked.

"Yeah, with Sam and some of the other staff," Abbey told him.

"And the agents, I hope."

"Yes, Dad, _with_ the agents," Zoey said.

"You not going, Ellie?" Jed said.

Ellie shook her head. "I need an early night."

Jed smiled gently at her. "Yeah, you gotta look after that little one. You'll be okay this time, Ellie, I just know it."

"Yeah," said Ellie with a small smile, "yeah, I know it too."

They'd finished their meal and Jed looked at Liz. "So what time are you going out then?"

"Sam said he'd call us here when they're ready. Not yet though – we've probably got another half hour."

"Okay." Jed took a deep breath and reached for Abbey's hand as he looked across at his three daughters. "Well, before you go, there's something that I want – that I need to tell you all…"

TBC


	31. Chapter 31

Liz, Ellie and Zoey looked at him curiously as Jed went on, "Something happened this last week that has changed my whole life – and although it doesn't concern you as directly as it concerns me, it _is _something that you need to know about."

Their faces changed from curious to concerned.

"Is it bad?" Zoey asked anxiously.

"Are you okay with it?" Liz said.

"Dad, you don't have to–" started Ellie.

Jed smiled at their different reactions. "No, Zoey, it's not bad – yes Liz, I'm totally okay with it, and yes, Ellie, I really do have to tell you." He glanced round at Abbey as she squeezed his hand and gave her his quick smile. Then he turned back to his daughters. "This will come as quite a surprise to you all – but last – what day was it?" he asked Abbey.

"Saturday," she prompted.

"Right – so last Saturday when we first went to Ballykane, I discovered quite by chance that–" he drew in a deep breath to steady himself "–that John Bartlet – the man you always thought of as your grandfather – was not my real father."

There was a stunned silence. Liz was the first to react. "But – but you've – you've always been so proud of your – your Bartlet ancestry–" she stuttered in dismay.

Jed smiled. "Yes, and I still am. I'm still a Bartlet, and so are you all, we still have that heritage in our blood. But not from John. My real father was John's older brother Edward – Eddy Bartlet."

He looked around at their different expressions. Zoey's face had puckered into a frown, Liz was still wide-eyed and stunned, and Ellie – Ellie's own thoughts were hidden because it was him she was studying, for once her head up so that her long hair didn't hide her face.

It was Ellie who finally broke the silence. "Grandpa Bartlet wasn't your real father," she breathed and Jed knew in that instant that Ellie totally understood all the significance of that short statement.

He wanted to hug her but knew that wouldn't be fair to the other two who were still struggling to comprehend. Instead his eyes met hers and held them in a silent 'thank you'. To his relief, Ellie understood. She drew in her breath and gave him a soft smile that came from her heart. Then she looked down, but not before Jed had seen her eyes brimming. He had to blink a few times before he could look across at Liz who was saying, "Dad, how on earth did you find out about this?"

Jed explained about the old man in the pub, about the submarine in the bay and how he had realised that the dates matched up with his own birth date. He also told them the few small facts that he had known about Eddy at that point.

"So that's all you know?" Zoey asked. "Just that he was on a submarine that went down in 1946?"

Jed glanced at Abbey. "It's all I might have known if it hadn't been for your Mom. I think you should continue the story now, honey."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Okay." Abbey looked across at the girls. "Well, I met a young man outside the church and–" She went on to tell them what Rory had said about his grandmother and how she had been determined to go back to Ballykane to find out more about Annie Egan and Eddy Bartlet.

"So she schemed and plotted!" Jed said with a laugh. "Never underestimate your mother when she is determined to do something!"

The three girls exchanged glances. "We know, Daddy," Zoey said. "We know when she gets that look in her eyes."

"I guess you need to give me some lessons on what your Mom is thinking when she gets that look in her eyes then!" He laughed as Abbey shot him one of her looks. "Okay, maybe I don't need any lessons – I'm now getting the look that says 'Will you please stop interrupting?'"

The laughter broke what could have become a tense and over-emotional atmosphere and Jed was relieved.

"So can I continue?" Abbey asked and when Jed held up his hands in acquiescence, she laughed and then went on, "I went to see Mary Cavanagh – and my instincts – intuition–?" she paused to give Jed a quick smile "–were right. Mary had been Annie's best friend and had been with her when she actually met Eddy for the first time – so she told me all she knew about him. And then the next day I persuaded your Dad to go back to Ballykane to hear it from her too."

"So where did they meet – Eddy and Annie?" Liz asked.

"Connolly's," Abbey replied. "Remember? The pub we mentioned earlier, where we first met Kate? It's about half way between Galway and Ballykane – Mary and Annie were both working there when a group of officers from the sub came in one evening."

"And it was love at first sight?" Zoey asked. "That's really romantic."

"Well, if not at first sight, then certainly within a few days," Abbey said, and then went on to tell them everything that Mary had said about the first night at Connolly's and then about the days which followed. "The sub was in the bay for about two weeks and before it left Eddy had asked Annie to marry him. And when she found out she was pregnant, Eddy sent her the fare to go to America."

Jed stood up and went to retrieve his jacket from the back of the couch. From the inside pocket he pulled out the small photograph of Eddy and Annie. Before returning to the table, he also opened his briefcase and extracted a brown envelope.

He handed the photo to Liz who was sitting between her two sisters, and they both leaned over to look at it.

"They do look happy together," Zoey said with a smile.

"And that's our real grandfather," Liz said slowly.

Ellie looked across at her father. "Why did Annie marry Eddy's brother then? Was that before or after you were born?"

Jed smiled. "I kinda guessed you would ask that – so here's the answer that Mary was able to give us." He drew some sheets of paper from the envelope and handed a set to each of his daughters. "That's a copy of a letter that my mother wrote to Mary a couple of months before I was born."

For a few minutes there was silence as Liz, Ellie and Zoey each read their own copies of the letter.

Jed's eyes met Abbey's. "I had it photo-copied down in the conference room," he explained to her.

Abbey nodded and their eyes stayed locked, both of them waiting, until Liz finally broke the silence. "That is the most beautiful letter I have ever read," she breathed.

Zoey too lifted her head from the letter and they saw that her eyes were suspiciously bright. "She loved him so much, didn't she?"

Jed nodded, and had to swallow hard. Ellie's head was still bent over the letter, her long hair shielding her face and Jed could see her hand shaking as she held the paper. "Ellie?" he said gently.

Eventually Ellie looked up, tears trickling down her face. Liz instinctively leant across and put her arm round Ellie's shoulders. "Don't cry, Ell."

Ellie looked across at her father. "This explains everything, doesn't it, Dad?" she said, a sob catching her throat.

Jed felt suddenly choked. "Yes – yes, it does." He tried to say some more, but couldn't. Quickly he stood up and went through to the sitting room, across to the window where he stared out unseeingly, struggling to control his emotions.

In the dining area, Abbey looked across at her daughters. "Let him be," she said softly. "He's had a very emotional week – and it's not been easy for him. But you remember what you said earlier, Liz, about inherited traits?"

Liz nodded. "This is what you were talking about?"

"Yes. Eddy told Annie that he wanted to make his career in the Navy and then one day to be part of the government. He said 'I want to be able to have some influence in what my country does and to try and make the world a better place.'"

"And that was passed on to Dad," Liz said slowly. "So he knows now just where he inherited that part of himself from."

"Yes – I think when he heard that, Eddy became real to him, instead of a total stranger. He also remembered something he had overheard his Mom once say to John Bartlet – that he had the same determination, the same passion, the same idealism as Eddy had had."

Zoey frowned. "But why did they never tell him? Surely he had the right to know who his father was?"

Abbey gave a small shrug. "John Bartlet didn't want any reminders of Eddy – and Annie thought that there was more chance of your dad and John building up a better relationship if he didn't know anything about Eddy."

The shrill ring of the phone made them all turn, and they heard Jed's voice from the sitting room.

"Okay, Sam – yes, we've finished eating – yes, any time – okay – right, let me have a copy, will you?"

Then Jed came back into the dining area. "Sam's on his way up here – he's done a draft of my speech for tomorrow – and he also wants to know if you're ready to hit the town?"

Liz and Zoey glanced at each other and then at Ellie. "You okay about this, Ell?" Liz asked.

Ellie nodded. "Yes, I'll be fine. Just don't wake me up when you come back!"

Jed hesitated for a moment, then looked at them all. "Are you all okay? I know it's come as a shock to you."

"Dad, so long as you're okay with it, then we are too," Liz said.

Zoey stood up and crossed the room to put her arms round him. "I'm glad, Daddy," she said with a smile. "I'm glad you've found your real father."

TBC


	32. Chapter 32

Jed hugged her then glanced across at Ellie. She too was smiling now and he held out his hand to her as they all went through to the sitting room. Abbey called the stewards to clear the dining table and was pouring some more glasses of champagne when a knock came at the door.

"Come in, Sam" Jed called.

"Good evening, Mr President, Mrs Bartlet – Liz – Ellie – Zoey."

"Do sit down, Sam," Abbey said warmly. "Would you like some champagne?"

"Oh – well, yes, thank you very much." Sam sat down and handed some papers across to Jed, then took the glass of champagne from Abbey.

"You've re-written it?" Jed said reaching for his glasses from his jacket pocket.

"No, sir, most of your original is still there, I've just – um – rephrased some of it."

Jed grinned. "I bet you have – the Sam Seaborn finishing touches?"

Sam smiled. "You know I can't resist trying to get my favourite phrases in somewhere!"

As Jed started to glance through the papers, Abbey turned to Sam. "So when's the wedding, Sam?"

"Easter," Zoey chimed in. "He told us all about it on the plane – and Carrie is having six bridesmaids and two pageboys – and her dress is–"

"Hey, hold on, "Abbey said with a laugh. "I'm sure Sam wants to tell me himself! Carrie?" she asked. "Is that Caroline?"

"No, it's Carina actually, but everyone calls her Carrie." Sam pulled out his wallet and handed a photo to Abbey.

"She looks nice," Abbey commented, looking down at the photograph of a young woman with shoulder length dark hair and an attractive smile. "Where did you meet?"

"A litigation case – she was defending, I was prosecuting – she won, so I asked her out to dinner!"

"So you lost the case and won the lady?"

Sam grinned. "Eventually, yes."

"Where's the wedding going to be?"

"Los Angeles – well, Malibu actually. Carrie's folks have a big house there. You'll be getting an invitation shortly."

"And then she's gonna be with you in DC?"

"Yeah, we just bought a house in Georgetown – and Carrie will be working for the DNC General Counsel Office from the first of March."

"Hey!" Jed said, looking up from reading the speech. "Hope you don't get a conflict of interests there then."

Sam looked across at him and grinned. "As Deputy Chief of Staff I think I might just outrank her! Er – you okay with the speech, sir?"

"Yes, it's good. I like the intro–" Jed flipped back to the first page and read, "'Today we are all faced with crucial decisions on energy and global warming. Will we look toward the future, for the sake of our children and our world? Or will we remain embroiled in the disputes and differences that have so often prevented our governments from adopting new and innovative approaches to our energy needs?' It's good, Sam."

Abbey felt a slight shiver down her spine at the sound of Jed's voice reading the speech. It was something that always got to her, his resonant voice delivering a speech with just the right tone and phrasing. "It sounds very good to me too."

"Thanks!" Sam downed the rest of his champagne, then stood up and looked at Liz and Zoey. "Well, you ready to explore the nightlife of Brussels then?"

"You _will _have the agents with you, Sam?" Jed queried.

"Of course, sir. We're just going to a bar off the Grand Place, it's only about two blocks away from here."

"Okay – so have fun." Jed stood up to kiss both Liz and Zoey. "And don't get too drunk, you two!"

Liz laughed. "Belgium makes the best beer in the world, Dad."

"Mmm, and the strongest too," Jed commented. He glanced at Sam. "Look after them, Sam."

"Dad, we're adults now, not kids," Zoey protested. "We can look after ourselves!"

Sam smiled across at Jed. "They'll be okay, sir, I promise."

When Sam, Liz and Zoey had gone, Abbey looked at Ellie. "You feel like you're missing out, sweetheart?"

Ellie shook her head. "No, it's okay. I promised Vic that I wouldn't take any risks this time."

Jed sat down on the couch next to her. "Shouldn't you cut down your working hours?"

"I have," Ellie said. "I'm only doing the minimum – at least for the first three months." She hesitated then said. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yes, of course you can – what's on your mind?"

Ellie looked down. "It's something personal–"

Jed smiled. "That's okay – but please look up, Ellie."

Ellie lifted her head but didn't turn towards him. "I just – I just wondered – how you feel about Grandpa – about John Bartlet – now that you know about Eddy?"

Jed looked at her for a few seconds, marvelling yet again at how this middle daughter of his could be so astute. He drew in a deep breath. "I think – I think that you've probably guessed far more than you've ever actually been told about how he treated me when I was a child, haven't you?"

Ellie nodded. "He – he wasn't just strict with you, was he? It was worse than that–"

"Yes, it was," Jed said quietly.

Abbey, watching the two of them, seeing the pain in Jed's eyes reflected on Ellie's face, made to intervene. "Ellie–"

Jed held up his hand. "No, it's okay, Abbey – Ellie needs to know this." Turning towards her, he went on, "As you've already guessed, there were times when he lashed out at me, sometimes verbally, sometimes physically – and I never understood why he did it, especially when he never treated Jonathan the same way. So finding out about Eddy has helped me to understand why he didn't like me."

For the first time Ellie looked round at him. "Just because you were Eddy's son and not his?"

"No," Jed shook his head, "no, it was more than that. Eddy was the smart, successful son. When he died, he'd already achieved more than John could ever hope to achieve. Eddy was a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy, John didn't even make it to Sergeant before he was invalided out of the army in 1944. Put simply, John was jealous of Eddy and resented the fact that he could never hope even to equal let alone excel what Eddy might – and probably would – have achieved."

"And you were like Eddy?"

"Yes, I guess so – I was the permanent reminder to John, because somehow I grew up with something of Eddy inside me, even though I had never known him."

"You haven't answered my original question, Dad."

"About how I feel about John Bartlet? No, I haven't, have I? Well, I guess my feelings towards him _have_ changed this past week, Ellie. To start with, I felt a kind of relief that I didn't have to think of him as my father any longer. I struggled for a while with the thought that he was still my step-father, that he _had_ tried to bring me up as his son – but then I realised that no, he hadn't really – not in the same way that he treated Jonathan, his real son."

"Did you start hating him?"

"Hate's a very strong word – but yes, I was on the edge of it at times – until I realised that I actually felt sorry for the man."

Ellie nodded. "Because you reminded him of all his own inadequacies."

"You got it, sweetheart – in fact you've got there a lot faster than I did. And I think you're right, he resented Eddy and because of that, he resented me."

"And if he'd lived, he still wouldn't have been proud of you when you became President, would he?"

Jed stared at her. "Jeez, Ellie–!" He glanced across at Abbey. "Just when did our little girl become such a perceptive adult?"

"When she was about five, I guess," said Abbey with a tremulous smile.

Ellie looked at him, her blue eyes suddenly swimming. "Eddy would have been proud of you, Dad – your _father_ would have been so very, very proud of you."

Jed felt as if he had been pole-axed. He had to catch his breath and then swallow hard. Wordlessly, he put his arm round Ellie and pulled her towards him in a fierce hug, struggling to hold back his own tears. "Thank you, sweetheart," he said eventually, his voice choked.

After a few moments, Ellie said quietly, "Thank you for being honest with me."

"Thank you for understanding so much," Jed replied.

Ellie smiled. "If this baby's a boy, I guess he'll have to have Edward as one of his names now, won't he?"

Jed gave a small smile. "If that's what you want, then yeah, I guess so."

"And now I'm going to bed," she said as she stood up.

"I'll come down with you, Ellie," Abbey said, standing up too.

"Mom, there's no need – I can find my way to the elevator!"

"I'll come down with you," Abbey said firmly.

"Okay then. Goodnight, Dad."

Jed stood and leant forward to kiss her cheek. "Sleep well, sweetheart – I love you."

"I love you too, Dad."

When Ellie and Abbey had gone out, Jed walked across to the window, looking out over the floodlit buildings of downtown Brussels which blurred as the tears filled his eyes again. _'Your father would have been so very, very proud of you.'_ Ellie had known just what words would mean more to him than anything else in the world. Leaning one hand against the wall, he felt totally drained.

He was still standing there when Abbey came back into the suite and he turned to her. "Ellie okay?"

"She's fine."

She came towards him, and he reached for her, holding her and burying his face in her hair as the tears spilled from his eyes. "God, that was hard," he choked eventually.

"I know," she said gently. "But you did good, Jed. Ellie needed honesty and you gave it to her. I was so proud of you – you didn't flinch once."

"Not until she said that Eddy – that my father would have been proud – I lost it then."

"But he would have been, Jed, you know that now. And so would your Mom."

"Yeah – yeah, I just wish that she had lived long enough–" Jed lifted his head and looked at her. "Oh God – Abbey–" His mouth came down on hers in a fierce and desperate kiss that left her gasping for breath.

"Jed–" she breathed eventually.

"What?"

"Hot tub?"

"Yes – oh yesss, let's do it."

"Here, take these," Abbey grabbed the bottle of champagne and their glasses from the table and thrust them into Jed's hands. "I'll bring the chocolates – or what's left of them!"

TBC


	33. Chapter 33

A/N: Rating for this chapter is NC-17

Together they went through to the bathroom and Jed turned on the water for the tub while Abbey checked the thermostat to ensure that it would not be too hot for him. Then she poured the champagne and handed him his glass. As they clinked glasses, their eyes met and held.

"To us," Jed said.

"To the future," Abbey said.

"Together," he added with a smile.

As they sipped their champagne, their eyes still held, and Jed brought his hand up to unfasten the buttons of her blouse then slid his hand under the silky fabric to cup her breast.

"Good, huh?" he asked as her head went back and a small sigh of pleasure escaped her. Then, "Whoa, hang on there, babe," he said, grasping her quickly as she swayed unsteadily. "Too much champagne?"

She looked at him and drew in her breath. "It's not the champagne, it's what your hands can do to me."

He took her glass from her and put both their glasses down in the holders at the side of the tub. Then he slid her blouse off, and brought his head down to kiss the soft silkiness of her shoulder. His mouth moved gently, nuzzling her shoulder, then her neck and her throat, and his hands went round her waist and pulled down the zipper of her skirt so that it fell to the floor. At the same time Abbey was tugging at his shirt to pull it out of his pants and then undoing the buttons.

He lifted his head and held her arms as his eyes travelled down her body "Oh God," he breathed, looking at her in her lilac bra and panties and the garter holding her dark stockings with their lacy tops. "You look so good."

Abbey took a step back from him and gave him a sexy smile. "You want to watch while I take them off?"

He tried to pull her back to him. "Just do it quick then – because I'm ready to come just looking at you."

She put her hand against his chest to hold him away. "Maybe I'll just do it _real _slow. But first, just get your shirt and pants off and get into that tub – then you can watch."

She waited while Jed stripped, then she leant over to turn off the water and to hit a couple of buttons that activated the jets and lights in the hot tub – the ones that the girls had experimented with earlier.

Jed started laughing as the water started bubbling and changed colour from red to yellow then green and blue. "Wow, coloured water! We've never had technicolor sex before, have we?" He lowered himself into the water, sat on the ledge, picked up his champagne glass and leant back. "Okay, honey, I'm ready for the floorshow."

"And here's the music to go with it." Abbey picked up the remote control and clicked it. She'd chosen the tracks earlier from the suite's in-house programme and now Celine Dion's 'Power of Love' came from the hidden surround sound.

Jed's eyes narrowed in amusement. "You've planned this, haven't you?"

"I might have." Abbey looked at him from under her eyelashes and he laughed again.

Then, slowly and seductively, she released her stockings and slid each one down her legs, watching him all the time and loving the way his eyes followed her every move, the deep breath he had to take and the way he moistened his lips with the tip of his tongue. The garter came next, and then she paused as Celine Dion reached the chorus of the song.

Standing in a provocative pose, her legs wide apart, her hands on her hips and her head tilted to one side, she sang along in a husky and sexy voice: "_'Cause I'm your lady – and you are my man – whenever you reach for me – I'll do all that I can–"_

"Jeez, Abbey–" Jed's blue eyes were now smouldering and intense. "You're doing it already – you're killing me here–"

"Hang in there, babe."

Slowly she unfastened her bra, slipped the shoulder straps and let it fall, then eased her panties down so that they fell too. Then she ran her hand through the back of her hair and shook her head backwards so it fell away from her face. For Jed, that was the sexiest gesture of them all.

"You are just so beautiful," he breathed, then smiled. "And now, for heavens' sake, get in here with me before I go totally crazy." He put down his glass and held out his hand to her.

Smiling, she slid herself into the water beside him and he pulled her towards the centre of the tub where the jets of water came up from the floor. Then he grasped her arms and kissed her, his tongue invading her until Abbey closed her eyes with a small whimper of pleasure.

"Let go, sweetheart," he murmured, "just let me love you."

His hands went to her breasts and it only took a few moments before Abbey had surrendered herself to the delicious feel of the bubbling water and Jed's hands, exquisitely gentle as they fondled her. She clutched his shoulders as her legs threatened to give way. Her eyes were closed and her head went back as her body melted against his. Jed smiled. He loved it when she got totally lost like this. As his hands explored her and small gasps 'Oh!' and 'Yes!' escaped from her, he had to struggle to control himself, but whispered "Love you" over and over again.

Eventually his hand reached down, knowing just which part of her to touch to send her into oblivion.

"Jed!" she gasped as her body suddenly tightened.

"Let go, sweetheart." he said softly again as he stroked her with his fingers and felt her body respond. He put his other arm round her to support her. "Just let go, sweetheart," he said gently. "I love watching you come like this."

He watched her as she gasped and squirmed at the sensations both the bubbling water and his fingers were having on her. Her breathing started to become quick and ragged, and he held her on the edge for as long as she could take it.

"You there?" he whispered.

"Nearly," she managed to gasp. "Nearly – Jed, don't stop – don't–" And then her cries became frantic. "Jed – oh God–! Jed, hold me – yes – oh yesss……"

Jed held her tightly as her climax came, and he had to take a very deep breath when her body arched fiercely against his. The gasps she gave as the aftershocks jerked her body were almost his undoing and he struggled against the almost overwhelming need to thrust himself inside her, knowing that he needed to give her time to recover. Eventually she subsided into peace and collapsed limply against him, still with small whimpers that came with every exhaled breath. And then she started to sob and he held her even tighter to stop her sliding into the water, knowing that her tears were the tears of release. "It's okay, darling, it's okay."

Finally she opened her tear-filled eyes, wiped her damp cheeks and looked at him. "I love you so much."

"I know," he said gently, then, knowing that she needed a few minutes respite, said "You want some more champagne?"

She looked at him. "You okay with that?"

He smiled. "Yeah – I can wait till you're ready again."

"Okay then," she nodded and he reached for her glass and gave it to her. She took a sip and looked at him. "That was heaven," she said, her eyes still lazy with contentment.

"I aim to please," Jed grinned.

"Yeah, well, you did that all right." With a deep intake of breath and the satisfied smile still on her face, Abbey sat herself down on the ledge that ran round the tub and put her glass down. "Where are the chocolates?"

Jed raised his eyebrows. "You want a chocolate orgasm too?"

She laughed. "I just need chocolate!"

"So says the woman who deprives me of cheesecake and steaks and pizza!"

"Oh shut up and pass me the chocolates!"

Jed grinned, then leaned over to the box of Belgian chocolates that she had put down at the side of the tub. He took one and held it to her mouth

Abbey leant back and took his fingers into her mouth at the same time as the chocolate.

"Whoa," he gasped as her tongue on his fingers sent an electric reaction through him and then laughed. "You want another chocolate?"

"No, but I'd like some more champagne."

After glancing at her, Jed leaned forward and dipped his first two fingers into his glass of champagne at the side of the tub, and then held them out to her. Taking a deep breath, Abbey put out her hand to take his and then slowly, sensually, her tongue licked the champagne from his fingers.

Jed's eyes flickered closed as the powerful wave of desire ripped through him. When he opened them again, Abbey was grinning at him. "Just hack it, boyfriend!" Playfully she pushed him backwards so that he lost his balance and fell into the water.

Coming up for air, spluttering and coughing, he pushed his wet hair back from his face with both hands and laughed. "Okay, two can play at that game!"

She ducked as he scooped a handful of water in her direction. "Missed!" she said gleefully, and then gasped as the next handful went straight into her face. "Oh!" She wiped it away with her hands and then shook her wet hair. Quickly she stood up from the ledge and used both hands to throw water at him.

After a couple of minutes' water-fight, they collapsed laughing against each other. "Jed, we've nearly flooded the whole bathroom!" she giggled.

But Jed wasn't looking at the bathroom floor, he was looking down at her – water dripping down her face, her hair in wet curls around her face and her green eyes which were alight with laughter.

"God, I love you so much," he breathed and then kissed her fiercely.

She felt his hard erection against her and pressed herself against him. "Just take me, Jed."

"You ready?"

"Yeah."

She leant back again the ledge, her legs open for him, and Jed moved so that he was between them. As he entered her, she lifted her legs to enclose him and he pushed even deeper into her. "Oh God," he groaned.

And then he was lost, his body taking over as he thrust deeper and deeper inside her.

Abbey felt the deep rush of renewed arousal inside her and she moved instinctively to match his fierce movements. And when he gasped his final "Abbey!" she reached heaven again with him.

TBC


	34. Chapter 34

The strident ring of the alarm clock made them both groan. Jed reached to switch it off, turned on the bedside lamp and then looked round at Abbey. "Busy day, sweetheart," he said ruefully.

Her eyes opened and met his. "Not even time for a quickie?" she asked teasingly.

"That's very tempting – but I think it could be cold shower time again. I need to meet with Peter Rosen again before the press conference at nine."

"Aw, shucks." Abbey stretched her limbs and Jed drew in his breath at the pure sensuality of her movement.

"Definitely cold shower time, sweetie – sorry." He threw back the sheet and disappeared into the bathroom.

Abbey leant back against the pillows, a small smile curving her mouth as she remembered the previous evening and their antics in the hot tub. When they'd finally come to bed, it had been enough just to curl up in total contentment together.

"I need a hairdresser," she thought suddenly, as she felt her tangled hair, one of the results of their water fight. But was she going to wear her hair down or up for this evening's event? She knew Jed loved it down, cascading over her shoulders – and he loved it too when it was damp, curly and tangled. Another smile crossed her lips as she made a decision. Maybe this formal evening at the Embassy could prove to be fun after all!

Then she started thinking about what gown she was going to buy for the reception. Low-cut – that was her own preference as well as Jed's – but what colour was she going to choose? Liz, she knew, would go for red, Ellie would choose something pastel – and no doubt Zoey would want something way-out like zebra-stripes or Aztec pattern. Maybe, she thought, something will just leap off the rails and shout 'Buy me!'

Jed appeared from the bathroom wearing the hotel's thick white bathrobe and rubbing his wet hair with a towel. "What colour are you gonna wear tonight?" he asked.

Abbey looked across at him. "I do get very concerned at times at your freakish ability to read my mind," she said.

He raised his eyebrows. "I have a freakish ability?"

She shot him an amused look. "You have a lot of freakish abilities!"

"Okay, that could worry me a little, but I won't let it. So what colour?"

"I haven't decided." She sat up in bed, pulling the cream silk sheet up so that it just covered her breasts.

"Spoilsport!" he laughed.

"I'm just trying to ensure that you don't have to go for another cold shower," she retorted with a grin.

He looked at her for a long moment. "That colour," he said.

"What colour? You mean this?" she said, glancing down and fingering the sheet.

"Yeah, it looks good against your skin and your hair."

"Maybe I should just drape this sheet around me then and fasten it with a few pins?"

"That would save a bit of money!" Jed laughed. "What is that colour anyway?"

Abbey looked at him with a frown. "It's cream – what did you think it was?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. Sometimes you women have some strange names for colours – it could be pastel something or – um – fizzy champagne – or frothy coffee, for all I know. Speaking of coffee, have you ordered any breakfast?"

"Not yet. What would you like?"

"Just toast and coffee will be fine."

"Frothy coffee?"

"Naw, strong and black – I need a caffeine kick."

"Jed–" she said warningly.

"Aww, gimme a break, Abbey, I've got a long day ahead. I'll have a yogurt too if makes you feel any better. And now I have to get dressed if I'm gonna get to this meeting on time."

Abbey reached over to the phone by the bed and ordered their breakfast, then reluctantly slid from the sheets and went through to the bathroom. "At least most of the flood we made last night has drained away!" she called to him with a laugh.

"Just as well," he called back. "Or the maids would have been wondering what the hell we'd been doing!"

After she'd showered and washed her hair, Abbey put on the white bathrobe and went back to the sitting room just as the steward came in with the breakfast cart. After they'd eaten straight from the cart and Jed had downed two mugs of coffee, he stood up and flipped on his navy jacket over his blue shirt. "Time to go, sweetheart," he said, coming back to the couch to kiss her cheek before he headed for the door. "Even though your wet hair does turn me on!"

"What time will you be finished?"

"Probably about six – and the Embassy thing is at eight – think you can be ready in time for that?"

"Have I ever been late?"

"Only about ninety percent of the time!" He laughed then disappeared through the door before she had time to retaliate.

"Just you wait, Jed Bartlet!" she said out loud with a grin, then picked up the phone to call the girls' room. "You ready to go shopping?" she asked Liz when she answered.

"Give us about an hour, Mom," Liz said. "We've all slept in this morning – jet lag and all that!"

"Okay, no problem. Is Ellie okay?"

"Well, she threw up once, but she's fine now."

"Are you sure she's okay for going shopping?"

There was a murmur of conversation at the other end of the phone, then Ellie came on. "I'm fine, Mom – it only lasts for about half an hour after I first get up. It's Zoey who's looking like death warmed up right now."

"Uh-oh, too much Belgian beer huh?"

"Yep, but she's coming round slowly, we're drip feeding her with iced water."

"Okay, I'll order the car for eleven then – that'll give you a couple of hours – think you'll be ready by then?"

"Yeah, we'll be fine. See you later, Mom."

Abbey started to pile their breakfast dishes on the cart, and then took an unopened bottle of champagne back to the fridge of the private bar. As she did, she noticed the photo of Eddy and Annie still lying on the dining table. It had been left there after the girls had looked at it the night before. As she picked it up, she had a sudden idea.

Quickly she went to the door of the suite and greeted Charlie Tynan who was on duty there. "Charlie, are the press – the photographers – staying at the hotel?"

"No, ma'am, they're at several other hotels in the area." As Abbey's face fell, he went on, "Is there something I can help you with?"

She explained what she wanted and Charlie nodded. "That shouldn't be a problem, ma'am. D'you have the photograph?"

Abbey handed it to him. "Please don't lose it, Charlie, it's absolutely irreplaceable."

"I understand. Oh, and what time do you want the car, ma'am? The President said you wanted to visit some shops."

She grinned. "I'm afraid so, Charlie. Is eleven o'clock okay?"

"We'll have it at the front door waiting for you and your daughters, ma'am."

"Thank you, Charlie."

At four thirty that afternoon, they arrived back at the hotel, exhausted but totally happy with their shopping trip which had centred on the designer shops in the Boulevard de Waterloo and the Avenue Louise. The bellhop piled all their bags on to the cart and Abbey asked him to take it to the girls' room first and then, when they'd sorted which bag was whose, she sent him up to the suite with her own bags.

"You'd better hang your things first – and then come up to the suite for drinks," she told the girls. "And Liz, are you sure you can fix my hair the way I said? I can always call the hairdresser–"

"Relax, Mom," Liz said with a smile. "I'll bring my hot brush with me, and the mousse that we bought – that will do it fine."

"Okay."

Abbey went up to the suite, hung up her gown in the closet and sorted through her other purchases. Then she went through to the sitting room, poured herself a glass of wine, leant back against the couch, clicked the button on the TV remote control and flicked through the channels.

Then she sat upright. She hadn't realised that the Global Energy Commission's final session would be televised live. And she could hardly believe that she had switched it on just at the right moment.

"For the United States of America, former President Josiah Bartlet will now speak," the background presenter was saying.

The picture changed from a long shot of the auditorium to Jed standing at the podium. For a couple of seconds he surveyed the assembled audience of heads of state over his glasses, then started. "Today we are all faced with crucial decisions on energy and global warming. Will we turn toward the future, for the sake of our children and our world? Or will we…"

Abbey watched as the speech continued. God, he's good, she thought – and then smiled, remembering how many times she had thought that as she had watched Jed making a speech. But even as she watched and listened, the image of him throwing water all over her the previous night took over from the TV picture of him, and her smile broadened.

When the girls came into the room, she held up her hand to them to stop them talking, and they all watched as Jed spoke.

"In conclusion," he said, "I bring you the pledge of the government of the United States of America – that we will do all we can to reduce our dependence on the ever-decreasing oil supplies in the world – that we will promote energy efficiency in order to reduce harmful emissions – and that we will encourage innovation to make America a world leader in clean and renewable energy technologies. The government of the United States will do everything in its power to protect our beautiful planet and its future generations from the potentially disastrous effects of global warming and climate change. This is our pledge to you all today." As he ended, applause came from all quarters of the auditorium and he inclined his head slightly. "Thank you."

"That was good," Liz said in admiration.

"Yes, it was," Abbey agreed – and then, to her own chagrin, started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Ellie asked.

"I'm sorry," Abbey said. "I was just thinking of something totally different."

Ellie gave one of her small frowns. "What?"

Abbey shook her head, unable to stop laughing now. "Let's just say that your father wasted quite a lot of the world's water supply last night. Come to think of it, so did I."

Zoey nodded her head knowingly. "The hot tub, right?"

Abbey glanced at her. "I can't imagine what made you think of that," she said innocently. As her three daughters started laughing, she held up her hands. "Okay, you got it. But I do find it very difficult to equate the world leader that I see on the TV with the man who fools around like an overgrown schoolboy at times."

Liz sat down on the couch and looked at her. "Er – could this be the reason why you want my hot brush – and why you want the mousse?"

Abbey felt the colour rising to her cheeks. "It could be," she said airily. "Or maybe it's just payback time."

"What for?"

"Oh, just something that happened at the pub in Ballykane the other evening. And no, I am not gonna tell you anything more!" But she still smiled to herself as she heard Jed's voice again – 'I love it when you're trying to pretend that you're not getting hot' – knowing for sure that she was going to be able to toss those words back at him sometime that evening.

"Aw, Mom, you're gonna look sensational in that dress anyway!" Zoey said.

"Well, it _was_ the one that jumped off the rail and said 'Buy me'," she said with a laugh.

"Just don't tell Dad how much it cost," Ellie smiled.

"It's okay, he never asks – fortunately!" she added. "Help yourselves to drinks, girls."

They chatted and laughed together until Abbey glanced at her watch. "Okay, it's five thirty – your Dad's due back in half an hour, so it's time to get things rolling."

Abbey had just finished her shower when there was a knock on the door. Pulling on the white bathrobe, she went to the door.

"I hope this will be okay, ma'am," said Charlie, handing a flat box to her.

Abbey's eyes widened as she opened the box and saw the result. "This is superb, Charlie!" she gasped. "How–?"

"One of the Belgian photographers took it to his studio, he has all the latest computer technology there. And here's the original, ma'am."

"You didn't tell him who–?"

"I told him it was mine."

"Thank you so much, Charlie. How much do I owe you?"

Charlie shook his head. "Nothing, he did it as a favour, ma'am. I've known him for several years."

"Well, thank you again, Charlie."

Quickly Abbey went to the bedroom, and wrapped the box in the silver and gold gift wrap that she had bought earlier, then slipped it into one of the drawers. She had just put the small original photo on the small table in the sitting room when Jed came back into the suite.

"Hey," he said, a sudden glint in his eye as he saw her in the bathrobe. "You planning a repeat performance?"

"If we do that, we'll definitely never get to the thing tonight on time!" she laughed.

Jed slipped off his jacket and loosened his tie, then came across to her and gave her a kiss. "I wish we didn't have to go – I'd much rather stay here." He twirled his fingers round her damp curls. "You know I can never resist you with wet hair."

"Tonight you'll have to do just that," Abbey said, and then smiled to herself as she realised the double meaning of what she'd just said...

TBC


	35. Chapter 35

"And I can give you just fifteen minutes in the bathroom before I am gonna commandeer it," she went on. "Liz is coming up to fix my hair."

"Do I have time for a drink first?" Jed asked, crossing to the bar and pouring a Scotch on the rocks. "I'm whacked!"

As he went back to the couch and sat down, Abbey stood behind him and massaged his shoulders. "Great speech this afternoon, gumdrop." He glanced round at her, his eyebrows going up in surprise, and she went on, "I came back here just in time to catch it on TV. Why didn't you tell me it was being televised live?"

"I didn't know that it was – going out live, I mean."

"It was very well received."

"Yeah, we had a good day."

"The talks this morning?"

"Yeah. There're still some reservations about China and India being excluded from the emission limitations, but apart from that, there's more agreement than at the last meeting. But just how much Matt Santos can get through Congress is another matter." Jed flexed his shoulders. "Hey, that's good, babe. Anyway, how was your day?"

"Good – very good."

"Are we bankrupt?"

"Nearly."

"Okay." He paused for a moment. "Did you talk to Liz?"

"Yeah – yesterday actually."

"And?"

"She's okay, Jed – she really is. Okay, she's gutted because she fought so hard to keep their marriage alive – but she knows now that Doug will never change. And I can't blame her for one minute for wanting out."

Jed nodded. "I never understood what she saw in him in the first place. But – well, you have to let your kids make their own decisions, haven't you?"

"Yeah, even when you think that it's not the right decision." Abbey reflected for a moment. "That's the time when being a parent is so hard. It's like Zoey and Jean-Paul–"

"Oh God, don't even remind me of that little moron. But at least Ellie and Vic seem happy enough. The fruit-fly guy went sky-high in my estimation when he said he'd decided to marry her on their third date."

"Jed, do stop calling him the fruit-fly guy!"

"Why? That's what you call him too."

"No, I don't! Not now anyway! He's – well, he's just Vic – and if he makes Ellie happy, that's good enough for me."

Jed nodded. "Yeah, you're right. And now I suppose you want me to use the bathroom for my allotted fifteen minutes?"

"Yes please."

"And we don't have time for–?"

"No!" she laughed.

As Jed stood up, he noticed the photograph on the table. "I was wondering where this had gone," he said, picking it up and looking down at it. "I realised half-way through this morning that I didn't have it with me."

"You left it on the dining table last night, after you'd shown it to the girls." Abbey watched him, understanding just how much that photo meant to him and knowing that she had done just the right thing. But that was for later.

Jed nodded, looked at the photo for a few more seconds, then reached for his jacket to slip the photo into the inside pocket. Then he went towards the bedroom.

"And no peeking in my closet!" Abbey called after him.

As soon as she heard him come out of the bathroom, she picked up the phone to call Liz. "Ready for Operation Hot Brush!" she said quietly.

"On my way!" Liz said with a laugh.

She went into the bedroom where Jed was unzipping the bag that held his tuxedo and dress shirt. Deliberately she took her new cream strapless basque, panties and stockings from the drawer, aware that Jed was glancing at them.

"Am I allowed to see you in those before you put your dress over them?" he asked, with pretended nonchalance.

"No way," Abbey said with a grin. "That's for later, honey – I'll let you just use your imagination this evening."

"You're just a tease," he complained grumpily.

"Yep, that's right!" she laughed. "Oh, and can you let Liz in when she comes up here please?"

Jed was sitting reading the EuroVoice newspaper when a knock came on the door and Liz came in. "Hi, Liz," he said, standing up to give her a quick hug.

"Is Mom ready for me?"

"She's still in the bathroom, I think. Liz–" he said, as his daughter started making her way towards the bedroom door.

Liz turned back to him, and he looked at her for a moment before saying, "We're behind you with all this, Liz – we really are."

"Mom told you what we talked about?"

"No – that's between you and her, and that's fine. But I know how hard you fought, and I'm just so sorry that it hasn't worked out for you. But – as I told you on the phone – we're here for you, Liz – whatever you need from us. Don't ever forget that."

Liz looked at her father, remembering all the times she had been at odds with him – and knowing that most of those times had been something to do with Doug. Her eyes met his. "Thanks, Dad." She hesitated for a moment. "I – I'd really like to talk to you about it too sometime – maybe when we get home?"

Jed nodded. "Yeah, we'll do that – and that's a promise, Liz."

"Okay then." Then Liz grinned. "But now I gotta sort out Mom's hair for her–" She waved the brush and the can of mousse towards him. "So if you don't like it, you can blame me!"

Jed laughed. "You two are plotting something!"

"Just wait and see"

In the bathroom, Abbey had just changed into her underwear and slipped on the bathrobe again when Liz came in.

"So this mousse is gonna do the trick?" she asked.

Liz read from the side of the can. "'For sexy, got to touch it, wet-look, shiny hair' – that sound okay to you?"

"That sounds wonderful, "Abbey said with a grin.

"Okay, so move away from the mirror – because if you're watching, you'll just keep saying 'Do this' and 'Do that' – and I'd rather you waited for the final effect."

"Liz, I think you just changed from my daughter to my mother there! But – I'm in your hands! Just do it!"

Twenty minutes later, Liz allowed her to look in the mirror. "Oh!" said Abbey. "Oh wow!"

"You like it?"

"I love it!"

After applying the mousse, Liz had got to work with the hot brush, twisting and curling Abbey's long hair, and then when it had cooled, teasing it with her fingers. Now curled tendrils of shiny dark hair framed her face, and then fell in soft waves to her shoulders.

Liz grinned. "It does look good if I do say so myself."

"And it'll hold like this all evening?"

"Maybe some soft hairspray?"

"Okay." Abbey stood up and kissed her daughter's cheek. "Thanks, Liz."

Liz looked at her wistfully for a moment. "I'd like to think that sometime I'll have someone that I want to look attractive and sexy for."

Abbey's eyes met hers. "There _will_ be someone, Liz. You just haven't met him yet," she said gently.

"Yeah. Right, I'd better go and get ready now."

"Cars at seven fifty, remember."

"We'll be there."

"Oh – and just tell your father he's banned from the bedroom, will you?"

Liz grinned. "Will do. See you later, Mom."

After she'd finished her make-up, Abbey went to the closet to retrieve her gown. She had fallen in love with it as soon as she saw it. Pale champagne-coloured – she smiled as she remembered Jed's description of 'fizzy champagne' – it was strapless with a slightly scalloped neckline, edged with light brown leaf embroidery and beadwork, that revealed her cleavage and the swell of her breasts. The top layer of the skirt was gathered at the hip so that the silk chiffon draped softly downwards, revealing a split in the underskirt which also had the embroidery and beadwork along both edges and which reached from a few inches above her knee to the floor.

Abbey surveyed herself in the mirror. "Not bad," she thought and then out loud said, "Damn!"

"What's that about?" Jed called from the sitting room. "You forgot to buy a dress?"

"No, I forgot – never mind, I can wear my pearl choker."

"You want me to fasten it – or zip you up – or something?" Jed said.

She went into the sitting room, holding the pearl choker. He was on the couch, reading a newspaper, and he looked up and then took off his glasses. She saw the look in his eyes and knew she had hit the right buttons.

"Whoa!" he said. "What – what have you done with your hair?"

"Liz did it," she said with a smile. "It's called the 'Wet Hair – just after the water fight in the hot tub – Look'. You like it?"

"Damned right I like it. It looks wet – is it?"

"No, that's the mousse. The can said 'For sexy, got to touch it, wet-look, shiny hair.'"

"It sure is all that – and you expect me to survive this evening looking at you like that?"

He stood up and she took in his tuxedo suit with the satin lapels, white dress shirt and black bow tie, and drew in her breath. "And you expect me to survive the evening looking at you like that?" she said in return.

"You've seen me like this hundreds of times."

"Yeah, but it never goes away – you're such a handsome devil in a tux!"

Jed gave her his self-deprecatory grin and then reached for his briefcase. "I'm so glad you chose the sheet colour," he said.

Abbey laughed. "That was cream – this is champagne – fizzy champagne, I think was your description."

He held out a Cartier's box to her and her eyes widened. "You bought me jewellery?"

"I slipped out at lunchtime."

Abbey put down her pearl choker, then opened the box and gasped. The necklace and earrings were a mixture of gold, pearl and amber shapes and drops, all studded with small diamonds. "Jed, this is beautiful!"

"So are you," he said with a smile.

As she took the necklace from the box, he moved round her to fasten it at the back "Can I touch your hair?"

"So long as you don't muss it up!"

Jed fastened the necklace, then leant his face gently against the soft curls. "God, I want you so much," he breathed. He moved his hands round to her breasts and Abbey had to take a deep breath.

"Jed, we don't have time!" She turned and kissed his lips gently, then automatically brought her thumb up to wipe away the lipstick mark. She deftly put the earrings in, then looked up at him, the love shining from her eyes. "Time to go, boyfriend," she said softly, reaching for his hand.

It was as she stepped into the back of the limo beside him that he first saw the split in the skirt of her dress. "This goes from bad to worse," he said with a small groan.

"What does?"

"Your beautiful hair, your adorable cleavage – and now more than half your sexy leg is showing. How the hell do you expect me to get through this evening?" He moved his hand to rest on the silky smoothness of her stockings and Abbey smiled.

"By thinking about what might just happen at the end of the evening?" she asked teasingly.

Jed drew in a deep breath and his hand tightened on her leg. "Don't!" he said.

"Anyway, who's gonna be at this thing tonight?" she asked.

"All our delegation, the Embassy staff – and whichever other Ambassadors in Brussels have accepted the invitation, I guess. Actually, probably quite a lot of them when they thought that Matt Santos was gonna be present – so maybe they'll all back out once they realise they've only got me!"

"The US Ambassador is the host?"

"Yep – Ryan Lyndell."

"That name sounds familiar. Do I know him?"

"Massachusetts Senator. He was on the list as a possible VP – eight years ago and then again when John Hoynes resigned. But we knew we'd never get him confirmed, the Speaker didn't like him. I appointed him to Brussels when he lost his Senate seat a couple of years ago."

Abbey nodded. "Yeah, I remember now. What's his wife's name?"

Jed looked round at her and laughed. "You really expect me to remember that? You've got to be impressed that I actually remembered who I'd appointed to Brussels!" He thought for a moment. "It could be Mildred or Mabel or something like that."

The limo drove in through the heavily guarded gates of the American Embassy and had to wait until the car in front of them moved away.

"Well, at least one ambassador hasn't backed out," Jed commented, seeing the Irish flags flying at the front of the car. "That's the Irish ambassador – appropriate, huh? Wish we were back there instead of here."

Abbey squeezed his hand. "We'll go back there, Jed – we have to, don't we?"

He looked round at her and gave her his small smile. "Yeah," he said softly.

The limo moved to the front door of the embassy and the agents jumped out to open the doors for them. As soon as they were out, the car moved away so that Jed only had to take a couple of steps to be at Abbey's side.

They waited until their daughters got out of the car that had followed them then all of them turned for the photographers who had been allowed into the embassy grounds.

"So let's all grin inanely and pretend we're enjoying this thing," Jed said sotto-voice and even more flash-bulbs went off as Zoey and Ellie started giggling.

With a final wave to the photographers, he turned and led them into the building where the Ambassador was waiting to greet them.

"Mr President, it's an honour to welcome you here this evening," said Ryan Lyndell, a tall man with glasses and receding hair.

"Good to see you again, Ryan. You enjoying Brussels?"

"Very much, sir. And you remember my wife Margery?"

Abbey struggled not to smirk, and dug her fingers into Jed's back as he said, "Yes, of course. Margery, how are you enjoying being an Ambassador's wife?"

"It's certainly different than being a Senator's wife, sir."

Once the greetings were over, they continued into the reception room and met with Sam and some of the other staff. Jed noticed that Liz made a beeline for one of the Congressmen and allowed himself a small smile. 'Well, she could do worse than Steve Palmer' was the thought that crossed his mind.

"Abigail!" The familiar loud voice rang across the room.

Abbey shot an amused look at Jed. "Oh heavens, it's Lord John," she said. "This should be fun!"

True enough, the tall figure of Lord John Marbury was making his way through the crowded room towards them.

"Mr President!" Lord John said heartily. "Or is it simply Jed now – or maybe Mr Bartlet?"

"It's Doctor Bartlet actually," Jed said, then started to laugh. "Oh, what the hell! Good to see you again, John."

"And you, sir," replied Lord John as they shook hands. "And may I say how saddened I was to hear of the death of your friend Leo – he was a good man."

"Yes, he was."

"I would have come over for the funeral, but as you may have heard, I have had some small problems myself."

"Yes, I know." Jed knew that Lord John had had to retire from his role as Ambassador to the U.S. when he had been diagnosed with cancer. "How've you been, John?"

"I had a– well, let's call it _not_ the best year of my life – but I survived the surgery and chemo, you know – and here I am, as large as life again."

"Always larger than life, John!" Jed said, laughing again.

Lord John turned to Abbey. "Abigail – a delight to meet you again – and of course to have another glimpse of your magnificent breasts – and as always, you do not disappoint me!"

"You may kiss her cheek – and keep your eyes averted," Jed said with mock severity.

"I shall do just that," said Lord John, bending over to kiss Abbey's cheek. "But you will save a dance for me, Abigail?"

"Of course I will, John," Abbey said with a warm smile.

"So what are you doing here in Brussels?" Jed asked

"They decided to send me somewhere nearer home, so I'm now Her Majesty's Ambassador to the EU – though I'm still trying to work out what EU actually stands for, you know."

Jed laughed again, and then out of the corner of his eye saw a face he recognised. Almost instinctively his arm went Abbey's waist as he realised that Ron Ehrlich had just walked into the room.

TBC


	36. Chapter 36

They couldn't avoid meeting up with Ron Ehrlich, much as Jed would have wanted to. It wasn't that he actually disliked the man – and there was no doubt about his obvious talent for fiscal and monetary policy – but he had never quite been able to get over the twinge of jealousy that Ron had been Abbey's first real boyfriend.

It didn't help that Abbey and Ron had remained friends over the years and now she greeted him with a warm smile. "Ron! It's good to see you again!"

"You too, Abbey – and still as beautiful as ever!"

As Ron leant forward to kiss Abbey's cheek, Jed felt his jaw tightening but quickly put on his public face. "Ron, hello!" he said, holding out his hand to the other man. "What brings you to Brussels?"

Ron turned to shake his hand. "I've had a few days of talks at the ECB in Frankfurt, and I have meetings with some of the Ecofin members here over the weekend."

Jed nodded. "Yeah, of course – I read something about that in EuroVoice today – you've been looking at the inflation and growth differentials in the Euro areas?"

"That's right. They're interested in our adjustment mechanisms–"

Abbey interrupted. "Sorry, you two – but if you're gonna talk economics, I am going to find another drink, then the girls and then the buffet table – in that order!"

"Think we'd better leave it for now, Ron," Jed said, with a quick smile at Abbey.

"Yes, of course. But you will save a dance for me, won't you, Abbey?"

"Of course I will – see you later, Ron."

"Over my dead body," Jed muttered as he and Abbey made their way to the drinks table.

Abbey glanced round at him, her eyes wide. "I just don't believe you!" she said.

"What don't you believe?"

"Jed, how long have we been married?"

He looked at her. "Thirty eight years – why?"

"Yeah, and we were together for two years before that – so don't you think that kinda cancels out the six months when Ron was my boyfriend?"

"Nine months," Jed said darkly.

"Oh, for heavens' sake, let's not go through that again!" She started laughing as she caught hold of his hand.

He looked round at her, giving her a small grin. "Okay, I'm a jackass, right?"

"Yes, you are." Then she squeezed his hand. "But if it's any consolation, you _are_ my favourite jackass."

"Good." Jed smiled at her again, then gripped her hand and held it so that his was by the slit in her skirt, the back of his hand moving surreptitiously against her thigh.

"Jed–" she started to protest.

"Mr President, Mrs Bartlet, so good to see you again!" They were waylaid by the French ambassador and his wife and after they'd shaken hands and were chatting, Abbey caught hold of Jed's hand again and pulled it against her thigh. She smiled inwardly as tried to pull away as he talked to the ambassador, and kept his hand against her leg.

"What the hell are you trying to do?" he asked as they moved on.

"Trying to show you that that forty years beats six months any day."

"Nine months," he said.

Abbey laughed. "You really are a jackass!"

They reached the drinks table and Jed handed her a glass of white wine. "I know, I know," he said, his eyes meeting hers. "It's totally stupid and illogical – but I can't help it."

Abbey smiled softly. "And it's one of the reasons I love you so much," she said.

"Yeah?" Then he leant towards her and whispered in her ear. "So can we go back to the hotel now? Because I just want–"

"Me too – but we gotta hang in here a while longer."

Jed sighed. "Yeah, I guess so." He looked around. "Where are the girls?"

"Liz is in some deep conversation with Congressman Palmer – Zoey looks like she's flirting with one of the Embassy attaches – and Ellie is over there with the staff."

"Ellie doesn't like this sort of thing, does she?"

"Not really, but she's better than she used to be. She's comfortable with the familiar – and she's known Sam and some of the staff for years, so she'll be fine with that."

"Okay." He looked at her. "You're not really gonna dance with Ron, are you?"

Abbey threw him an exasperated look that was mingled with love and then said airily, "Yeah, why not? I'm gonna dance with him all night – and then elope with him at the end of the night for some steamy sex in the hot-tub!"

Jed grinned. "Now I know you're sassing me!" Then he drew in a deep breath. "That hot-tub is reserved for you and me, babe – and don't you forget it."

Their eyes met and Abbey's mouth twitched. "You bet, boyfriend!"

Sam, overhearing the last part of the conversation as he came up behind them at the drinks table, suppressed a small grin. So the First Couple still had the hots for each other, he thought. Not that that was any surprise. The upper echelons of the West Wing staff – and probably others too – had all known about the 'barbecuing' schedule – and then of course there had been those highly embarrassing few minutes when he had interrupted them on re-election night…

"Sam!" Abbey said, turning from the table and seeing him there. "I heard that you got my youngest daughter drunk last night!"

Sam had the grace to blush slightly. "Well, not exactly drunk, ma'am – but she did insist on trying the Bush Amber which is pretty strong stuff. I tried to warn her that she would probably have a headache this morning!"

"You were right about that – and I see she's drinking iced water tonight!"

"No, ma'am – that's genever in her glass," Sam replied, following Abbey's glance across at Zoey who was still chatting to the attaché. "Juniper gin," he added.

"Okay, so I can only hope there's also some tonic water in that glass as well!"

"I hope so too," Sam grinned.

Abbey saw that Peter Rosen had come across to talk to Jed, and so she drew Sam to one side, away from them. "Tell me, Sam, has Zoey mentioned Charlie to you at all?" As Sam hesitated, she went on, "I know that Jed was trying to do a little fence-mending between them last week, but Zoey's not mentioned him – and I've been a little reluctant to ask her. I was waiting for her to say something first."

Sam smiled. "Well, without wanting to betray any confidences, I think it's probably safe to say that at least the fence posts may be in position again."

Abbey smiled back at him. "Very diplomatically put, Sam – thank you! I guess we'll make a politician out of you yet! And talking of which, when are you going to run for Congress again?"

"After the beating I took in Orange County? I'm not sure I want to go through that again."

"Oh, come on, Sam – the timing was all wrong on that one, and you know it – first Horton Wilde and then the tax plan – anyway, Orange County's always been Republican. Next time you'll go for a safe Democratic seat and get your feet wet – and then you'll be on the roll that will take you to the Oval Office."

Sam blinked a few times. "The President once said–"

"Yes, I know – and he'll be there campaigning for you, take my word for it. So – you've got eight years to get some experience in Congress or the Senate."

"And you really think the country would go for a Democrat again?"

"If it's the right man, yes. And if Jed thinks you're the right man, Sam, then that's good enough for me." She studied him for a moment. "The same determination, the same passion, the same idealism–"

"I'm sorry?"

Abbey smiled. "Just something I heard this last week. But think about it, Sam."

Sam nodded slowly. "Yes – yes, I will." Then his boyish grin was back. "Though I think Josh would probably kill me if he knew!"

Abbey nodded. "You'll need to find yourself another Chief of Staff, Sam – Josh is gonna burn himself out as COS for Matt Santos."

"You think so?"

Jed, watching her from the far end of the table as she talked to Sam and then turned to greet the Swedish ambassador and his wife, marvelled at how totally natural she was with everyone she met, her eyes full of warmth, taking in everything that was said and responding with interest and with smiles that were genuine, not the false plastered-on smiles that he had encountered so many times in his political career.

And he marvelled again that this beautiful, intelligent, feisty, challenging, sometimes unpredictable and – yes, this wonderfully loving and sexy woman – had chosen him as her man. He knew that he was the envy of many men – he'd seen it in their eyes as they'd looked at her – and he'd felt a sense of almost proprietary pride, knowing that she was his – and had been his for forty years. So why, he thought, did Ron Ehrlich somehow have this power to reduce him to the gauche student that he had once been, head-over-heels in love with Abbey right from the first time he'd met her and desperately jealous of Ron who was her boyfriend at the time?

John Marbury tapped his shoulder. "Penny for them, Mr President," he said.

Jed turned, then shook his head slightly and smiled. "Sorry, I was miles away – or rather years away."

"You were looking at your beautiful wife," John said.

"Yes, I was," Jed admitted.

"You are a very fortunate man."

Jed inclined his head. "I know."

"Every man here would love to have an Abigail in their lives – but the one over there is all yours."

Jed looked across at Abbey again, nodding slowly and permitting himself a small smile. "Yes," he said quietly then turned back to the other man. "Thank you, John."

Absently, Lord John picked up two glasses of wine and handed one of them to Jed. "Last year, when I was being made painfully aware of my own mortality, one quotation kept coming back to me – 'Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans' – and I started wondering if John Lennon would revise that now to 'Life _and_ death are what happen while you're making other plans.' We so rarely live for the moment, do we?"

Jed frowned slightly. "What are you trying to say, John?"

John glanced towards Abbey. "I think that what I'm saying is that you now need to cherish and treasure her and simply be with her, Jed – because for the last eight years she has had to share you with the world."

From any other man, Jed would have resented any advice on how to treat his wife. But his friendship with John Marbury went back almost four decades and he could accept it. "Yes, you're right. For the last eight years I've been serving two mistresses–" He stopped, remembering how he'd said that to CJ.

"One mistress – your country and the world," John said. "The other was _not_ your mistress."

Jed nodded. "That's true."

"Your wife is a truly remarkable woman."

"Yes, she is."

"And you won't challenge me to pistols at dawn if I ask her to dance with me?" John said, reverting now to his outward jovial self after the few moments of intensely personal talk.

Jed took the cue. "John, I wouldn't know what the hell to do with a pistol even if someone handed it to me fully loaded!"

"Good lord! Your education really has been sadly lacking, sir."

Jed laughed. "Yeah – well, they didn't teach things like that in economics classes!"

"Well, no, I suppose not. But – ah, I see the buffet has finally opened – and I could eat the proverbial horse, now that I finally have my appetite back." As they started to walk together towards the buffet tables in the next room, John went on, "So tell me about Kazakhstan – your new President has been doing some saber-rattling there, I believe–"

Jed caught only glimpses of Abbey in the next hour. They were both used to mingling separately at events like this but tonight, even as he chatted to various ambassadors and embassy officials, Jed ached to be next to her, with his arm round her waist or her shoulders, or his hand firmly gripping hers. He wasn't sure why he felt it so strongly tonight – whether it was just because of Ron Ehrlich, or whether it was simply that she looked so stunning in that beautiful gown, with those dark curls framing her face – or whether, after a week of having her all to himself, that ache inside him was because he'd had to release her to the world again.

John's words were ringing in his head – 'we so rarely live for the moment' – 'she has had to share you with the world' – 'cherish and treasure her and simply be with her' – and he knew that John was so absolutely right…

TBC


	37. Chapter 37

A musical quartet had started to play and, as several couples got up to dance, Jed started to make his way around the edge of the room to where Abbey was now sitting with Ellie and some of the staff.

Inevitably, he had to stop a couple of times on the way, not least with the Irish ambassador who had heard about their visit to Ireland.

"Well, you and Mrs Bartlet certainly hit the headlines in this morning's Irish press, sir," Dermot Cassidy said with a laugh.

"We did?"

"The local reporters at Shannon got quite a scoop – and now they're all speculating about where you were staying and what you did while you were there."

Jed laughed too. "I think we covered our tracks fairly well!"

"With your photograph all over the papers this morning, I wouldn't bank on that. Someone who saw you somewhere is going to realise that the man who looked vaguely familiar was actually the President–"

Jed nodded ruefully. "Yeah, that's true. Maybe we won't be able to slip under the radar so much next time we go over there."

"You're going to visit again?"

"Of course. We both love Ireland."

"Then just let me know when you want to visit. I have a fairly secluded place in Connemara, near to Clifden – which you are very welcome to use if you want privacy."

"Well, thank you very much, Dermot – I really appreciate that – and I'll definitely take you up on that one. But now, if you'll excuse me–"

As Jed moved further round the room, he had to smile as he saw Lord John approaching Abbey, saw her looking up at him with a smile, and then standing to take John's proffered hand. It amused him a little that John had virtually asked his permission to dance with Abbey.

"Hey, Ellie," he said, when he finally reached the table where the staff were sitting. "You enjoying this evening?"

"It's okay," Ellie said with a small shrug.

"Yeah, that just about sums it up. So will you dance with your old Dad?"

Ellie smiled up at him. "You'll never be old, Dad! And I guess you do need someone to dance with now that Lord John has abducted Mom!"

She stood up with him, and he led her on to the dance floor.

"You look good in that dress," Jed said as he put his arm round her. "What colour do you call it?"

"Dark apricot," Ellie smiled. "Mom was quite surprised – she expected me to go for some pale pastel."

"Well, you always loved pastel pink when you were little."

Ellie laughed. "That was because Barbie looked good in pink, and I always wanted to be Barbie."

"Barbie? Wasn't that the pig that thought it was human?"

"Dad, that was Babe and he thought he was a sheepdog!"

"Yeah, that's right. So what was Barbie?"

"A doll – with lots of different clothes."

"Okay, I remember now. Yeah, I think that doll had even more dresses than your Mom had."

"You like Mom's dress tonight?"

Jed glanced across to where Abbey was dancing with Lord John. "I love it," he said.

"And her hair?"

"I love that too." Then he looked at her. "Why? What has she told you about her hair?"

"Nothing really – except that she said she wanted the wet-look tonight."

Jed started laughing inwardly, his shoulders beginning to shake as he struggled to control his amusement. Eventually he guided Ellie across the dance floor so that they were dancing next to Lord John and Abbey.

"I think I'm about to challenge you to pistols at dawn, John," he said with a smile.

Lord John raised his eyebrows. "This – from a man who has admitted he does not know one end of a pistol from the other – is supposed to worry me?"

"I'm a fast learner!" Jed said with a laugh.

"In that case, my esteemed friend, I shall hand over the adorable Abigail in exchange for the enchanting Eleanor."

Jed looked at Ellie. "You okay with the exchange, sweetheart?"

Ellie gave him her quick smile. "It's fine with me, I've never danced with a Lord before!"

Jed inclined his head as he handed Ellie to Lord John, then moved to put his arm round Abbey.

"I've missed you," he said as they started to dance.

She smiled up at him. "Yeah," she said. "Me too." She moved closer to him, knowing just what he meant. "It felt strange today – I kept glancing round, expecting you to be there."

He nodded. "It's a long time since we had so many days together, just the two of us."

"We'll have lots more," she said.

"Dermot Cassidy just offered us the use of his place in Connemara – maybe we can take him up on that one day. Oh, and he also said we hit the headlines in the Irish press this morning – photos of us at Shannon."

"Who's Dermot Cassidy?"

"Irish ambassador – over there," Jed nodded his head towards the ambassador. Then he looked at her. "Abbey, if that old guy in the pub at Ballykane sees the photos of us in the paper and remembers what he told us–?"

"It's not a problem, Jed – you didn't tell him that Annie was your mother."

"No, but I told the people at the Post Office – and Ballykane's a small town."

"So?"

"So – headlines in Irish Press? – 'Former President discovers his Illegitimate Roots in Ireland' – the reporter who works that one out will get a world-wide syndication on that story!"

Abbey studied him carefully. "Are you ashamed of it, Jed?"

Jed looked at her, taken aback for a moment and then his face cleared. "No – no, I'm absolutely not. Quite the opposite in fact – I'm proud that Eddy was my father. He was a man that I know I would have been able to look up to."

Abbey nodded slowly, understanding exactly what he meant, and then smiled. "Then that's the important thing, isn't it? And to hell with whatever appears in the press?"

"Yes, you're absolutely right. God, I could kiss you right now!"

"Keep dancing, gumdrop."

His voice dropped a tone. "Your wet-look hair is turning me on, you know that? – not to mention your magnificent breasts – and even though I can't see that sexy split in your skirt just at this moment, I know it's there, and that's turning me on too. And I know we should be talking about global warming or European monetary policy in case anyone overhears us, but that's not what's turning me on at all right now."

Abbey knew it was the right moment. She smiled at him. "I like turning you on like this. I love it when you're trying to pretend that you're not getting hot."

Jed looked at her. "There's an echo there somewhere."

Abbey met his eyes. "Lonergan's in Ballykane?"

"Ah-ha!" Jed said and laughed. "So this is payback time, is it?"

"Now whatever makes you think that?" Abbey said with mock innocence.

"And this is where I say 'You know damn well that I'm getting hot'? Christ, Abbey, I was hot even before we left the hotel room. Now I'm getting positively uncomfortable!" Abbey started to shake with laughter and he grinned back at her. "Stop it," he said, "or you'll have me cracking up laughing too – and then everyone will know that we're making love just with our eyes."

"And to hell with Ron Ehrlich?" Abbey asked mischievously.

"Oh, you can dance with him if you want to, sweetheart. Ron Ehrlich was forty years ago – and forty years, as you said, has got to be worth a hell of a lot more than nine months."

"Six!" she said firmly.

Jed started laughing again. "I love you, Abbey!" He tightened his grip, and they continued to dance, their eyes never once leaving each other.

When the music ended, reluctantly they moved apart and started to walk hand-in-hand back to the table. "So what's with Liz and Steve Palmer?" Jed asked, glancing across to where Liz was walking from the dance floor with the Congressman. "She's been with him all evening."

"She's known him for a few years," Abbey said. "They were on some committee together, I've forgotten which one now. Ellie said they greeted each other like long-lost friends when they met on the plane."

"So she's not just getting hints on how to run for Congress then?"

Abbey smiled. "Maybe not yet. But she did say she might run for the Statehouse once Gus gets to High School."

"She could run for State now while he's still at Junior High – it's only a part-time job, and then by the time he goes to college, she'll be well and truly ready for Congress."

"Give her time, Jed. She needs some breathing space first while she takes re-stock."

Jed nodded. "Yeah, you're right." He glanced at his watch. "Any chance we can leave this thing yet?"

"You planning on having an early night then?" Abbey asked, casually but with amusement glinting from her eyes.

"Well, you know, it's been a long day – with all those meetings and speeches – and I'm not as young as I was a week ago – and anyway, don't they describe former Presidents as venerable? Which, I might add, does not mean ancient, but rather 'commanding respect because of great age'."

"I can think of a few other words to describe a certain former President – insatiable being one of them!"

"You're referring to Truman, of course?"

They were both laughing as they reached the table where Ellie, and also Zoey and her attaché friend, were sitting.

"What's the joke?" Zoey asked.

Abbey sat down. "You just don't want to know!"

"Er, this is Carl Hancock," Zoey said, "He's a legal attaché here in Brussels."

The young man had already stood up. "Well, I'm actually an assistant in the office of the legal attaché, sir."

"Your first posting?" Jed asked, shaking Carl's hand.

"Yes, sir."

"Enjoying it?"

"Yes – it's very interesting, sir."

"Okay, sit down," Jed said. "This might be a formal event, but we don't have to be formal at this table!"

But he noticed that the young man did not sit until after he'd sat down. "You see," he said in an aside to Abbey, "some people still have some respect for a_ venerable_ former President!" And then he laughed when Abbey made a face at him.

Liz and her Congressman friend came across to join them, and for a while Jed kept them all entertained with some funny stories of his visits to other American embassies across the globe which had them all giggling and laughing.

When the music started again, Abbey nudged him. "Maybe you ought to ask the hostess to dance?" She nodded to where Margery Lyndell was sitting on her own, as Ryan was standing several yards away in deep discussion with a group of Embassy officials.

Jed nodded. "Yeah, okay – excuse me," he said to them all and went across to the ambassador's wife.

Abbey looked at her daughters with a small shrug. "I guess even a former President still has to be on duty on occasions like this." Then she glanced round, aware that someone was standing behind her.

"You promised me a dance, Abbey," said Ron.

Abbey glanced quickly towards Jed – and saw that he had seen. He gave her an almost imperceptible wink and she knew that he was okay with it. She looked back up at Ron. "Yeah, I did, didn't I?" she said with a smile.

She stood up and let Ron take her to the dance floor. As they started to dance, she looked up at him. "Well, this is a blast from the past, isn't it? How long is it since we danced together, Ron?"

"I guess it was at that party where you first met Jed Bartlet – and you looked at him like you'd never looked at me – and I knew then that I didn't stand a chance!"

Abbey smiled, remembering the night in Indiana when Ron had introduced her to some of his student friends and the tingle that had run down her spine when she'd first looked into Jed's intense blue eyes and felt that instant connection with him. "Forty years ago, Ron – where have all those years gone?"

Ron grinned. "If they'd told us when we were students that forty years later we'd be dancing at the American Embassy in Brussels, and that you'd have been the First Lady and I'd be Chair of the Fed, would we have believed them?"

Abbey laughed. "No way!"

"He was the right man for you, Abbey – and Kay was the right woman for me – so I guess we both made the right decision when we agreed to split. But I'm glad we stayed friends."

She nodded. "Yeah, me too. And Kay's still in Boston? And your kids?"

They continued talking about their families until the music ended, and then Ron looked down at her. "You still look at him in just the same way as you did at that party, Abbey."

She smiled. "Yeah, I guess I do."

He returned her to her seat just as Jed came back too. "So you haven't sweet-talked my wife into eloping with you, Ron?" he said with a smile.

Ron laughed. "She's all yours, Jed!"

"Yeah," Jed slipped his arm round Abbey's shoulders. "Yeah, and I'm all hers too."

TBC


	38. Chapter 38

A/N: Rating for this chapter is NC-17

They finally managed to get away from the reception at about eleven o'clock. The girls had already left with some of the staff to go back to the same bar as the previous night, and even Ellie had agreed to join them this time.

"So what changed your mind about Ron?" Abbey asked as they sat in the limo which was taking them back to the hotel.

Jed looked round at her. "It was something that John Marbury said."

"Go on."

He caught hold of her hand. "He said, 'Every man here would love to have an Abigail in their lives – but the one over there is all yours.' And – well, I just knew he was right."

Abbey's forehead wrinkled into a frown. "You can't mean that it's taken you forty years to realise that?"

Jed gave a small laugh. "No, of course not – of course I knew it. But sometimes it just needs someone else's eyes to see it too, to remind you–"

"Jed, is this because of Ron?"

He looked at her. "I honestly don't know what it's because of, Abbey. I just know that John said the right thing at the right time."

"Okay."

"He said something else too."

"What?"

"He said that now I should cherish and treasure and simply be with you–"

Abbey smiled. "I should have kissed Lord John for that advice."

Jed looked at her, his face still serious. "Do you feel that for the last eight years you've had to share me with the world?"

Abbey's face stilled. "Did John say that too?"

"Yes."

"That's a hard one. I'm not sure – yes, there were times – but then there were–" She broke off. "God, Jed, I just don't know how to answer that."

His intense blue eyes rested on her. "Whatever we decide to do in the future, we have to do it together."

Abbey frowned again. "We've always been together."

"No, we haven't. You've been a doctor, I've been a politician – okay, we've always supported each other, but we've each done our own thing. But now – well, I just want us to spend whatever time we have left doing things together."

"We've plenty of time, Jed."

Jed looked away. "You know what I mean."

Abbey's lips tightened as she struggled with her emotions, knowing exactly what he meant. The MS – the damned MS – she didn't even want to think about it, not when things had been good for so long. She looked at him. "Not now – please – not now," she breathed.

"Okay," he said quietly, knowing that this was not the right time. But John's words had hit him hard – 'We so rarely live for the moment, do we?' And, deep inside him, he knew John was right, that they had to live for the moment, because there was no telling what the future might bring. And even as he thought it, he wondered whether his mother and father had done just that – before their future together had been so tragically snatched away from them.

After a long silence, he drew in a deep breath. 'Live for the moment,' he thought. His quick grin eased the tense emotion that hung between them and he looked at her under his eyelashes. "And of course when I said 'doing things together'–"

Abbey let out the breath she had been holding. This was better, this she could cope with. The other thing they would deal with some other time. "You mean 'doing _– things_ together'?" she queried, her mouth twitching slightly.

"That's exactly what I mean right now," he said in the low voice that always turned her on. His hand reached for the split in her skirt and started sliding upwards, very slowly, along the silkiness of her stocking until his fingers reached the lacy top. All the time his eyes were watching her as she drew in a deep breath, savouring the beautiful eroticism of his feather-like touch. Aware of the driver and agent in the car, albeit on the other side of the window, she had to force herself not to let a small gasp escape when Jed's fingers finally touched her skin above the stocking. As he too drew in a quick breath, she stretched out her hand across his thigh to the hard bulge in his pants and was rewarded when he let out an involuntary grunt of pleasure.

Quickly he looked out through the darkened windows of the car. "I'll swear this damned car is taking us on a sightseeing tour of Brussels by night!" he complained.

Abbey started to laugh. "People pay a hundred bucks for a limo tour like this!"

"I'd pay two hundred right now just to be back at the hotel!"

At that moment, the car turned the corner and pulled up outside the brightly lit entrance of the hotel. "Well, there you are then!" she said, still laughing. "You gonna share that two hundred bucks between the agents and the driver?"

Jed pulled her to him for a quick kiss. "No way," he said, "but I'm gonna have my own sightseeing tour in just a few minutes from now – and it won't be Brussels by night!"

"You think?"

"I know!" he chuckled.

At the door of the suite, he turned to the two agents. "Absolutely no interruptions, fellas," he said, giving them a quick wink.

"Yes, sir."

As soon as he'd closed the door, he flung off his jacket and pulled his bowtie loose, then unfastened the top button of his shirt. "That's better," he said, "that thing was strangling me. Now come here, and let me hold you like I've been wanting to all evening!"

Abbey was pulling her earrings out. "Hang on a minute, Jed. Can you unfasten my necklace?"

"I can unfasten anything you wish to have unfastened, sweet knees."

"Just the necklace for now. We'll save the strip poker for later."

"Now there's an idea!" Jed moved round to unfasten her necklace at the same time as Abbey finished taking out her earrings. As he dropped it on to the table, he went on, "Can I muss your hair now?"

Without waiting for an answer, he buried his face in the back of her neck, loving the silky feel of the curls and the wonderful scent that exuded from them. His arms went round her, his hands cupping her breasts and she leant back against him as his mouth moved to her earlobe and then to the side of her neck.

Abbey gave a small sigh of pleasure then turned to face him. "Let's at least go through to the bedroom – then you won't have to carry me when my knees start melting." She caught hold of the tails of his bow tie and pulled him towards her, kissing him straight on the mouth, then automatically wiping away the lipstick mark with her thumb. "And let me take my make-up off first."

As he followed her to the bedroom, he started to unfasten his shirt, but she stopped him. "I'm taking off my make-up," she said, "and then _I'll _take off your clothes – so you just can just lie there on the bed and wait."

"Yes, ma'am!" He leaned for a moment against the doorframe and grinned at her. "You're very sexy when you're being bossy, you know? Can I at least take my shoes off?"

"Yeah, you can do that."

For a few moments, he stayed by the door watching her, loving her so much that he ached. Then he moved to pull back the covers of the bed and took off his shoes. Lying back on the bed, his hands behind his head, he looked towards Abbey as she used tissues and a tub of something to remove her make-up, and then smoothed her face with something from another jar.

"Hey," he said suddenly, "your dress isn't the same colour as these sheets."

"I told you," she said, "the sheets are cream, the dress is champagne."

"And there's a difference?"

"You just said yourself my dress wasn't the same colour."

"Abbey, you gonna carry on tormenting me for another hour?"

"Tormenting you?" Abbey hid a small smile, knowing that the longer she kept him waiting, the more desperate he became – and the more desperate he was, the hotter their sex became – and tonight she needed that.

He looked across to where she was sitting at the antique French dressing table with its bevelled mirror. "Come to bed, Abbey."

"You're not ready for bed."

"That's because you said you wanted to undress me – and just the thought of you doing that is driving me insane! We've had about five hours of foreplay already this evening, so will you please come here?"

"You come here, boyfriend."

Jed slid himself off the bed and moved towards her. She stood up and turned to him, lifting her hands to cup his face and give him a kiss. His arms went round her and the kiss deepened. But still she managed to pull the bow tie from around his neck and started unfastening his shirt buttons. His hands went round to her back to start sliding down the zipper of her dress.

"My dress for your shirt?" she said, starting the game they'd played many times before.

"That's a deal," Jed replied and then, after he'd shrugged off his shirt and she'd let the gown fall to the floor, he took a step towards the bed. "What's next?"

"Your pants for my bra?"

"Done," he said with a grin. Abbey unfastened the button and zip of his pants and pushed them down, then helped him as he struggled with the fasteners of her basque. She flung it to the floor, at the same time taking another step towards the bed.

Jed looked down at her breasts and groaned. "Oh God!" As he brought his head down to take her nipple into his mouth, Abbey gasped as the flame shot down to somewhere deep inside her. Her hands clutched his shoulders as her body arched involuntarily.

Eventually she managed to say, "Your boxers for my panties?"

"Mmm," he breathed. Still with his mouth on her breast, his hands went to her panties and started to slide them down

"End of game," Abbey whispered weakly, trying to push down his boxers, but too much on fire now to manage it. "Just get them off!"

"I thought that was my line?"

"Sexual equality rules okay!" she muttered.

Seconds later they had got rid of their remaining garments, and came back together. Jed pulled her against him, loving the feel of her softness against him. "God, Abbey, I need you," he groaned.

"You sure do," Abbey murmured, moving her hand down to his hard erection. "Hot tub again?"

Jed gave a deep sigh of pleasure as her hand enclosed him and then shook his head. "No – not yet." He brought his mouth down on hers and kissed her fiercely, and Abbey responded with the same passion, wrapping her arms round his shoulders and digging her fingers into his back as the frantic need surged inside her. He started to manoeuvre her back towards the bed, kissing her neck and then bending his head to kiss her breasts until Abbey felt that she was turning to liquid. As she reached the edge of the bed, she almost fell back on to it and then looked up at him through half-closed eyes.

"I want you, Jed – I want you so much."

He moved between her legs and she saw the naked desire in his deep blue eyes. "Lean back," he said and when she did, supporting herself on her elbows, he stretched his arms either side of her and then slid into her slowly, so slowly that she had to hold her breath, waiting for the moment when he would be fully inside her, filling her with his hardness. As he reached her very core, she collapsed backwards with a short gasp. Automatically her legs went round him, holding him, needing more.

Jed caught his breath as she tightened around him. He fought for control, pulling slowly out of her, loving her small whimper of protest and then the low moan of pleasure that came from her throat as he went into her again. Each time her body reached instinctively towards him and then they were both moving with the sure and familiar rhythm, until Jed knew that he was going to lose it completely. He tried to stop himself, paused and opened his eyes to look down at her. Her eyes flickered open too, sultry with passion and need. "Just take me, Jed," she whispered. Jed drew in a deep breath as he gave in to the demands of his body and then began to thrust deeply into her. "Come on, babe, come with me," he urged breathlessly.

Abbey lost all coherent thought. Everything inside her quivered with the frenzied onslaught to all her senses, with the fierce impulses that had overtaken her body as well as his, with the exhilarating knowledge that he had totally lost himself inside her. She was aware of his hoarse grunts and of her own cries as he thrust into her and they moved faster and faster, she felt the tingling build-up of electric sensations inside her – and then she reached the edge and arched upwards with a cry of 'Jed!' before she gave in to the ecstatic release with a gasp of "Oh God – yessss!" As her climax shuddered through her, Jed let go too with a final groan of "Abb-ey!" as he spilled into her, and then gasped her name over and over again with every spasm that jerked his body. Then he collapsed onto the bed over her, both of them gasping for breath.

"Jeez!" he said hoarsely, still trying to catch his breath. "Jeez, Abbey–" Eventually their gasps subsided and they relaxed against each other. Then, when Abbey winced slightly at his weight on her, he lifted himself off and she gave a small moan of protest as he slipped out of her. He looked down at her tenderly. "Good, huh?" he whispered.

"Mmmm." She was still lying half over the side of the bed, eyes closed and totally out of it, and gently he lifted her sideways so that she was full length on the bed. Then he lay down beside her, raising himself on to one elbow to look at her, loving the look of blissful satisfaction that shone from her face, even thought her eyes were still closed.

"I love you so much," he whispered.

She turned her head, half-opened her eyes and smiled lazily at him. "I just went to heaven," she murmured.

"Yeah." He looked down at her. "You're my heaven," he said softly.

"Mmm." She snuggled up against him and closed her eyes again, still lost in her haze of contentment and Jed slipped his arm around her and held her close.

"You asleep?" he said after a few minutes.

She half-opened her eyes again. "Nearly – why?"

His blue eyes glinted. "We have a hot tub."

"Now?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"You're insatiable, Jed Bartlet."

"Well, that's better than being venerable any day."

"You really mean it, don't you?"

He looked at her. "Yeah."

"Okay, you go fill it – I'll be there in a minute."

When she finally got some strength back into her lethargic limbs, she lifted herself from the bed and went through to the bathroom. Jed was already in the water and was pressing different buttons.

"I can't find the coloured lights," he said.

Abbey slid into the bubbling water beside him, then leaned over and hit the button. "This one," she said.

They both sat on the ledge, Jed with his arm round her, and watched the lights change colour for a few minutes.

"Can I kiss you?" he said suddenly.

Abbey looked round at him, amusement in her eyes. "Of course you can kiss me – you can kiss me anytime!"

"No, I mean just kiss you and hold you – and not have sex, but just – be with you."

Her eyes softened. "That sounds good to me."

And so, in the bubbling waters of the hot tub, they kissed gently, no longer needing the overpowering sexual release, but simply loving holding each other and being together.

TBC


	39. Chapter 39

"Jed, what time are we leaving today?" Abbey woke up with a start and turned to her still-sleeping husband.

"What?" Jed roused from sleep still confused. "What?"

"I asked what time we were leaving." She glanced at the bedside clock. "It's nine o'clock. We've slept in."

"Yeah, we stayed up late last night," he muttered, his eyes still closed.

Abbey smiled at the memory. "Jed, wake up!"

He opened one eye and squinted at her. "I don't want to – I was having a very nice dream there."

"About me, I hope."

"I don't need to dream about you – I was dreaming that – oh lord, what _was_ I dreaming about?"

"That Congress went a hundred per cent Democratic?"

He was awake now. "I wish!" he said, then, "Nah, that's Matt Santos' wish now – good luck to him."

"Jed, what time are we leaving here?"

He rolled over towards her. "No idea, babe. You still naked there?"

"Yeah – and so are you – but don't get any ideas, we need to find out what time we have to go."

"I can go anytime you want me to."

"Jed–" Abbey dug him in the ribs.

"Ouch!" Then "Think it's about one o'clock. And I remember now what I was dreaming about – you were in a sort of multi-coloured bikini – no, it wasn't a bikini – it was a – oh, some sort of sexy thing that kept changing colour like the water – and we were at Connolly's and I was having to make a speech while you were sitting at the table in the corner looking like that – and Lord John was laughing his head off because I kept getting the speech all wrong – and it was all because I just had the hots for you."

"I thought you weren't dreaming about me?"

"I forgot I was dreaming about you."

"You forgot?"

"For about five seconds – then it all came back to me."

"I guess Freud could make something out of that."

"Yeah, well, he isn't here – so make of it what you will!" Jed stretched back against the pillow and rubbed his eyes. "Wish we could just go back to Ireland instead of that six-hour flight back to the States."

"Where're we going? Andrews?"

"Nah, they'll drop us off in New Hampshire."

Abbey grinned. "By parachute?"

Jed started laughing. "That would be fun."

"They did it in that film with Harrison Ford."

"The one with him dangling on a long rope from the rescue plane? Thank God I never had to do that!"

"Jed, we really do need to get up."

Jed looked at her. "I'm already there, sweetheart – up being the relevant word."

Abbey returned his look. "You really want–?"

"I really want," he replied.

"Yeah, me too." She started sliding her hand down his chest.

"So–" he started saying, "–about this multi-coloured sexy garment?"

"Jed, just shut up and love me."

Suddenly he sat bolt upright. "God, I forgot!"

"Forgot what?"

"I said I'd see Ron at ten – we're meeting a couple of Ecofin members." He turned to look at her and gave a small sigh. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, I just forgot."

Abbey gave him a regretful smile. "You'd better go then."

"Yeah." He leant over to give her a quick kiss. "I'll make it up to you."

"Damn right you will! Now go!"

By the time he'd showered, shaved and dressed, the breakfast she had ordered had arrived. As she sat down across from him, she looked at him curiously. "You planning to get involved with the Fed then?"

Jed looked at her in surprise. "Heavens, no – not my scene at all."

"So why this meeting?"

He shrugged. "Ron just thought I might be interested in meeting with some of the Ecofin members. Abbey–" he looked across at her, "there's no hidden agenda, I promise you."

"Okay."

"You're not convinced, are you?"

"I just know that you're looking for something, Jed."

Jed nodded slowly. "Yeah, maybe I am – but certainly not the Fed, and not some roving ambassador for the administration either." His eyes met hers. "I'm looking for something that we can both be involved in – together. Not just your community clinic, not just my Presidential Library – anyway, Jon's spear-heading that one, I'm mainly advisory. But there's something, somewhere, that we can do together, Abbey."

"Pooling our skills," Abbey said reflectively.

"Yeah," Jed replied, then again, "yeah – there's something there at the back of my mind, I just haven't reached it yet."

"Okay." Abbey was thoughtful. "Let me think about that one too."

Jed gulped down the rest of his coffee and stood up. "I gotta go, honey. I'll be back about twelve, okay?"

It was when Abbey was throwing things into their bags that she found the package that she had wrapped the day before. She had intended to give it to him the previous night, but their lovemaking had driven everything else from her head. After a few seconds' thought, she slid it into her flight bag and smiled to herself as a small plan formed in her mind.

Then she called the girls' room. "Can you come up here?" she said when Zoey answered the phone. "There's something I need you to do for me." While she waited for Zoey, she found Kate's CD and then explained to Zoey just what she wanted.

"Have a quick word with Mike Hewitt when we board," she advised, "and then let me know the ETA."

Zoey nodded and grinned. "This is just so good, Mom!"

Abbey grinned back at her. "I hope so!"

Later in the morning she met with all three of her daughters in the hotel's coffee lounge.

"Okay," she said, once they all had their large cups of cappuccino. "So now I need some advice from you all. Here's the question – can any of you think of a project where your Dad and I could pool our skills? Economist and politician – and doctor – where can we use those skills together?"

For a few moments they all looked blank. It was Liz who spoke first. "You mean you want something where economic development and medicine can come together?"

"Yes," Abbey said, almost in surprise. "Yes – that sums it up very nicely."

"Then you're talking about Third World," Ellie said. "That's where the real needs are – Latin America and Africa."

"And people need to be helped to help themselves – it's no use just sending in foreigners to do everything for them," Liz went on.

"Train their own people in healthcare," Ellie said.

"Teach them soil management and how to diversify in crop production – improve agricultural techniques to boost the local economy," Liz continued.

"Keep going," Abbey said. "This is good."

"Clean water supplies – education about AIDS – diseases linked to poverty," Ellie continued.

"Ease trade restrictions – encourage development of their own industrial structures to reduce their dependence on others." Liz was really fired up now.

"Children," Zoey said suddenly. It was her first contribution to the discussion and they all looked at her. "That's always been Dad's mantra," she went on. "Making the world better for our children, and their children, and future generations."

Abbey nodded. "We shall give our children better than we ourselves had." She smiled. "I reminded your Dad the other day about when he said that. So children in general, Zoey? Or what?"

Zoey thought for a moment. "Street kids," she said eventually. Then she looked round at her sisters. "Do you remember that time we went to Mexico City? All those kids – and someone told us that there're about two million of them, and about a quarter of them actually live in the streets because either they have no homes or families."

"And no access to any education or medical facilities – or any opportunity to learn any trade," Liz said. She turned to look at Abbey again. "Well, that's narrowed it to a specific objective, Mom – and it's in the remit you gave us – economics, medicine – and education too."

"Yeah, it's an interesting idea. So how would you turn it into a practical project?"

"Money," Liz replied. "Raising funds to build schools, medical centres, occupational training centres – and getting corporate backing too."

"Raising public awareness," Ellie said. "Seminars, lectures, open forums – across America – across the world."

"Get young people involved," Zoey said.

Abbey looked at her. "Go on," she said.

"Internships for undergraduates and young graduates," Zoey went on. "To give them practical experience – maybe giving them academic credits as well – but above all giving them the opportunity to _do_ something to help – to go out there and work – to give practical help in education, healthcare, skills training – whatever's needed. Just to give those kids the _hope_ that things can get better for them."

"Zoey's right," Liz said. "This is something that young people could really get involved with – it's a positive contribution – young people _do_ care about all the problems in the world but just don't know what they can do about it. This could give them the opportunity to really make a difference in a specific area."

Abbey drew in a deep breath. "Wow," she said, stunned by all the ideas that her daughters had just thrown out. "I just wish your father had been here to listen to all this. I think this could be what he's been searching for."

"You gonna tell him?" Liz asked.

"Of course I am."

"Okay, so count me in," Liz went on. "Maybe I can't go overseas – but I can contribute my admin and fundraising skills."

"And me," Ellie said. "I'd want to do something on the medical side."

"I'd want to go out somewhere and just do something to help those kids," Zoey added.

Abbey looked at the three of them and felt her eyes getting moist. "And what you've all just said will mean more to him than anything else," she said quietly. "So maybe I'll leave that part of it for you all to tell him."

TBC


	40. Chapter 40

At one o'clock they were all ready when the cars arrived for them and half an hour later the motorcade arrived on the tarmac at the airport where the blue and white 747 was waiting. After the obligatory waves at the top of the stairs to the camera crews, Jed and Abbey joined the staff in the conference room where, after take-off, the stewards brought in a lunch buffet.

While Jed was talking to Sam, Abbey glanced round at Zoey who moved across to join her.

"Everything okay?" Abbey asked.

"Yes, all set," Zoey replied, "and it'll be about three o'clock."

"Great – thanks, Zoey."

"Oh, and Captain Hewitt said that the cloud cover will probably have lifted by then. And you need to be on the starboard side of the plane."

Abbey smiled. "Okay – good then!"

She kept an eye on her watch and at about two thirty she made her way across to where Jed was sitting with Peter Rosen. "I'm going along to the suite," she said. "I'd like to put my feet up for a while." Then she leant towards him. "And I need to talk to you about something," she added quietly.

Jed looked at her. "Okay. Will you excuse me, Peter?"

Abbey was glad he was behind her as she made her way out of the conference room. She had caught Zoey's grin out of the corner of her eye, and was having difficulty keeping her own face straight.

"Well, you made that pretty obvious," Jed commented as they reached the door of the suite.

She looked round at him and saw the amusement dancing in his eyes. She smirked. "Believe it or not, I was _not_ making excuses. I do need to talk to you."

"No Mile High Club then?" Jed said, looking at her under his lashes as he slipped his jacket off and loosened his tie. "We've still got over five hours flying time – would anyone notice if we went to bed?"

Abbey started laughing. "You need an afternoon nap?"

"Well, that's not exactly what I had in mind."

He made to sit down in one of the oversized arm chairs on the left hand side of the suite, but Abbey deliberately moved to the other side, near the windows. "Come and sit next to me, Jed."

Jed's eyes narrowed as he looked at her, and then moved across the cabin. "Abbey, you're up to something – what is it?"

"I told you, I want to talk to you about something." Kicking off her shoes she sat down on the couch.

Jed sad down next to her. "Are the girls coming along?"

"No, I asked them to give us some time alone."

Jed gave her a sideways look. "What did you have in mind?"

Abbey ignored the look. "Jed, be serious for a minute, will you? I want to tell you what the girls talked about this morning. You know you said you were searching for something that you hadn't quite reached?"

Jed's eyes narrowed slightly. "Yeah?"

"I think your daughters may have come up with the answer, but I wanted to sound you out first before you talked to them."

"Go on."

"I asked them how they thought we – you and I – could pool our skills – and Liz and Ellie got it straight away – economic development and medicine in the Third World."

Jed raised his eyebrows. "Okay," he said carefully. "But that's a pretty wide spectrum. Did they say any more?"

Abbey smiled. "Plenty. They wouldn't be our daughters if they didn't have a good grasp of world problems, would they? The ideas were coming thick and fast."

"Yeah, but discussing world problems isn't the same as trying to resolve them."

"You still trying to fix the world, Jed?" Abbey said gently. "Your daughters had a few ideas about that too – must be an inherited trait or something."

"So what were their ideas?"

"The one that Zoey came up with was street kids in Latin America."

Jed looked at her for a moment and then nodded slowly. "Yeah, well, there's a real need there. But we have kids born into poverty in America too."

Abbey nodded. "So maybe we have to look into the whole thing about children – and where we feel we could really make a difference."

"Yeah." Jed's mind reflected on the possibilities. "Did they say anything about how to make a project like this work?"

"Raising funds, of course – and increasing public awareness and support – research, practical help and training – and internships for young people."

"Internships?"

Abbey could tell that Jed's interest had suddenly been sparked. "That was Zoey – wanting to involve young people – internships for undergraduates and young graduates – to give them the opportunity to do something to help."

Jed was nodding slowly. "Today's young people – tomorrow's leaders–"

"I think you should talk to the girls about it."

"Yeah. Are they all coming back to the farm?"

"Yes."

"Okay, I'll talk to them tomorrow then. Seems like they have plenty of ideas."

"They have."

A knock on the door interrupted them and they both looked round as a steward came in with a tray with a bottle of champagne and two glasses.

Jed looked round at Abbey with raised eyebrows. "Champagne?"

Abbey smiled at the steward. "It's okay, Paul – you can just leave it on the table."

"Very good, ma'am."

"Abbey, why champagne?" Jed asked as the steward closed the door again.

Abbey stood up and moved across to the table to pour two glasses of champagne. She put them down on the small table in front of their seats, then went across the lounge to retrieve her flight bag. From it, she extracted the package in its gold and silver wrapping. "I was going to give you this last night," she said with a smile. "But somehow I got distracted–"

Jed grinned. "I wonder why?" He looked at the flat package that she held out to him. "What is it?"

"Open it."

Jed tore the wrapping paper and opened the box. Then his face stilled as he looked at the framed photograph. "This – this is amazing!" he breathed. "How–?"

Abbey sat down again next to him. "A photographer friend of Charlie's did it. Do you like it?"

"Abbey, it's–" Jed stared down at the photograph, an enlarged copy of the small photo of Annie and Eddy – his mother and his father – enhanced by the computer so that it had lost its graininess and lack of definition. Their faces were crystal clear – and he felt a lump in his throat as he saw the love that radiated from them both Suddenly choked, he grasped Abbey's hand. "This is just perfect."

Abbey handed him his glass of champagne and picked up her own glass. "To Annie and Eddy," she said quietly. "To your mother and father – and everything you've discovered about them since this time last week."

Jed couldn't speak as she clinked her glass against his, he could only nod as his eyes suddenly brimmed.

Then he looked round as a crackle came from the loudspeakers in the lounge. "Captain Hewitt here," Mike's voice said clearly. "I've been asked to let you know that in a few minutes we'll be flying over the west coast of Ireland – and it's a beautiful cloudless day down there. So if you glance out of the starboard windows, you should get an excellent view of Galway Bay–"

Jed started smiling and then looked round at Abbey. "You even managed the cloudless day?"

"Well, that's the part that I didn't actually organise," she replied with a laugh, "but it's definitely a bonus."

Together they leant forward, and Jed put his arm round Abbey as they watched through the windows as the green fields of Ireland gave way to the rugged coastline.

"Look, "Jed said, gripping her shoulder, "there it is – Galway Bay – and you can even see the road going to Ballykane–"

They watched until eventually they left the coast behind and started the long crossing of the Atlantic. Then the loudspeakers hummed into life again. "And this is for two very special people aboard today – with love from Liz, Ellie and Zoey."

There was a slight pause, and Jed frowned slightly. But then his face cleared as Kate's beautiful Irish voice started –

_"If you ever go across the sea to Ireland  
Then maybe at the closing of your day  
You will sit and watch the moon rise over Claddagh  
And watch the sun go down on Galway Bay"_

As she started the second verse, Jed smiled and stood up. "Dance with me, Abbey."

Abbey stood and locked her arms around his neck, while his hands went round her waist. Together they swayed on the spot, their eyes never leaving each other.

"Thank you," he said softly.

"I love you, Jed," she whispered.

"And I love you, Abbey," he said quietly, "more than I could ever tell you." He leaned forward to kiss her mouth gently, and then rested his face against hers.

Even when the song ended, they stayed locked together, hardly moving but just content to stay close together.

Eventually Abbey moved back slightly and looked at him. "What are you thinking about?"

His beautiful blue eyes looked into hers. "Tomorrow," he said with a smile.

**THE END – **of their first week after the Presidency –

But the beginning of the rest of their lives…


End file.
